Romance Dawn: The Knightfall Pirates
by smilingdamnedvillain
Summary: Following the Battle of Marineford, the world has become a chaotic place as Pirates aim for the empty throne of the fallen Yonkou and the Marines fight to stop it. In the middle of it all is a rag-tag crew looking to make a name for itself and defy the World Government - The Knightfall Pirates!
1. The Storm 1

**Author: Heya! I decided to try my hand at a One Piece fanfic - of sorts. This story is gonna focus around a group of pirates who become active around the time of the Battle of Marineford. It'll mostly focus on a group of OC pirates, but it'll still contain a lot of references to canon. Hell, I'm certain some canon characters will show up here and there. So without further ado, here's the story!**

* * *

"I can't believe it… It really happened…"

A hooded man sat on a stool by the counter, his miso soup and darjeeling tea sitting in front of him as his eyes rested on the article in the newspaper in his hands. There, on the page, was the vivid image of an Emperor even as he stood dead on his feet. It sent a chill down his spine as he looked upon the image, as though the man was about to reach out from the image at any moment. It was so unbelievable that one might be forgiven for thinking the article was a fake - after all, in spite of his mortality and age, this man was so legendary it seemed unfathomable that he could ever be stopped.

It hadn't taken long for news to circle the whole world following Whitebeard's death – indeed, it was almost as if for a moment the world had stopped turning. If the world ever did start turning again, none were sure there would be anything to stop the chaos flooding in once more. After all, this man was like a God who ruled over the seas. Without him to sit upon the throne, what was to come next? The hooded man could only imagine it.

"Good riddance to the bastard! Who the hell did he think he was, playing at being an emperor?" one man remarked aloud. The hooded man turned in his seat, looking towards a table in the restaurant where a couple of men sat together. The entirety of the restaurant - and indeed, the island itself - had been engaged in the discussion of Whitebeard's death as soon as the news reached the shores. That is, if something including so much alcohol could really be called discussion.

"Hey, he might've been a bastard, but look at it this way – what happens now? He's left an empty seat behind him. You really think no one's gonna be gunning for that seat?" another man remarked with surprising tact before taking a swig of his own drink.

"You think the Marines can't do shit?" the first man bellowed with fury, as though it was attack on him. He slammed his fist down on the table strongly to emphasize his point. "If Pirates come, the Marines'll send 'em packing!".

"Yeah, just like Blackbeard was!"

"Smart-mouthed little-!"

The two men were up on their feet in an astonishingly short amount of time for two men who'd drunk so much liquor. Glasses crashed to the floor as the two began to swing at each other. There was a sudden uproar as people tried to separate them, but to no avail. The men quickly grasped at each other in a grapple as they attempted to wrestle the other to the ground. The hooded man back at the counter sighed as he watched them, shaking his head. He stared up at them, his eyes narrowing upon them.

The men continued to fight and smack one another, but a few moments passed as their movements turned sluggish. People began to stop, watching with fascination as the two soon began to collapse, hitting the ground just as they both tried to swing at one another. People began to stare, looking between one another as they wondered what had happened to the two men.

As people gasped, shocked by how the both of them suddenly fainted, the hooded man turned back to his newspaper. Even if he didn't usually care for what alcoholics said and did, they did have a point – in all likelihood, this open seat left behind by Whitebeard was open for the taking. Every Pirate in the Grand Line was going to be gunning for the position.

"What a relief – the both of them must have passed out from all the alcohol. I'm getting sick of having to deal with them every night," a voice spoke up from behind the counter. Putting down his newspaper, the hooded man looked over to the woman behind the counter as she cleaned a glass.

"They must come quite often..." he muttered, looking the woman in the eyes. She possessed a pair of brown eyes to match her short, brown hair. Her figure was fairly round and curvy and, along with her tall height, made her seem even larger than she truly was. She wore a short-sleeved black shirt and trousers with a white apron, befitting her role as cook and server. She was watching the scene of the men being carried away by their friends, sighing.

"They do. It's getting bad – I mean, I know we have a bar as well, but this is a restaurant and they're turning away the families that come here each night," she commented, sighing as she put away a glass and picked up another one to clean.

"They aren't wrong, however. Whitebeard's death isn't going to be forgotten. This world is going change a lot," the hooded man remarked.

"The only change I want is a new-"

"Oi, Alyona! I'm gonna need you to work extra shifts for the next week!" a voice called out. Looking over, the hooded man and the plump woman caught sight of the restaurant's manager – a short, balding man with a thick handlebar mustache.

"But you said I was only working late-night-"

"Hey, hey, are you complaining? I've just had another server quit on me. It's your job to cover the slack!" the manager told her before running back through the kitchen doors. The girl didn't even get a chance to respond as she let out a groan, rolling her eyes.

"… Bad boss?" the hooded man inquired.

"The kind that demands a portion of my tips go to him," she responded, sighing. "You know, you look very suspicious with that hood on indoors".

"Hey, I did only just come in from the rain," the hooded man remarked as he grasped hold of the hood. Pulling the fabric down he revealed himself to be a young man in his early twenties with blue eyes and a head of black, unkempt hair. Across the bridge of his nose was a thin scar. "The name's Baldric. Give my compliments to the chef for this soup".

"You're looking at her," Alyona responded, smirking. "And you're welcome".

"Oh really?" Baldric remarked, his lips curling. "You know, if you're really unhappy with your boss, I'm actually looking for a chef right now – for a crew".

"Oh, are you a merchant?" Alyona asked, a brow raised. "You don't look like a Marine".

"Well, actually-"

Baldric was interrupted as a large crash rang out. Everyone in the restaurant and bar turned to look towards a broken window and an upturned table. Food crashed to the floor as plates were smashed on the ground.

Lying in the middle of the mess was a tall and lean figure with tanned skin and long, black hair. Across his body were stripes a couple shades darker than the rest of his skin and covering his figure were raggedy old clothes. His hands and feet were webbed and right now he was snarling, baring sharpened teeth as he pushed himself off the ground.

He did _not_ look happy.

* * *

"Look alive, men! He's just been spotted at a local restaurant! Move it!"

A small child with a head of pale blonde hair wearing a green kimono looked out from the window of her current lodgings. Before her she saw a group of Marines racing past in the rain, rushing about with their swords and rifles. The island had been alive tonight with not only talk of the recent battle between Whitebeard and the Marines but the rampage of a wild man running across the island. She hadn't seen the wild man herself, but the scene before her confirmed it. Marines were speaking to one another on their Den Den Mushi and organizing themselves in formations, racing through the streets.

"Can't an old woman get some quiet? What's going on out there?" a haggard voice spoke. The girl turned to see her grandmother – a woman of 74 years clad in a grey sweater and a blue coat buttoned up at the front. Her trousers were black, tucked into thick boots whilst around her neck was a red cravat. Her hair was a silvery-grey, tied back in a ponytail. In her bony hand she clutched a cane firmly.

"I overheard them talking, Obaa-san" the young girl spoke. "Apparently there's a Fishman who showed up out of nowhere and started fighting against the Marines for no reason".

"Well, lets hope he hasn't destroyed the sushi stand down the street," the old woman remarked as she grasped a blue hat the same shade as her coat.

"Sushi tonight again?" the young girl spoke, not really a question so much as pointing out the obvious. The old woman nodded.

"We can't afford a big meal in a restaurant every other night. You know that, Madoka…" the old woman responded as she turned, walking towards the door. "Now, when you've had your dinner, you'll need to go to bed. Tomorrow morning we have to get up early to catch our boat".

"I know, Obaa-san…" the girl replied. Shortly afterwards the old woman left, shutting the door behind her. Sitting alone in the hotel room, the girl sighed and rested against the window ledge, looking out.

It was still raining outside, with the ground turning muddy and wet from the downpour. Madoka thought over the events ahead. She was just a child, but even she couldn't help but think that setting sail in these times was going to be a lot more dangerous. Her grandmother was never one to hide things from her if they affected her safety. She was always protective, but sometimes Madoka felt she seemed a bit too protective - as though she was in constant worry something bad might happen. When the young girl thought about her grandmother, the idea that something could go wrong seemed insane. Her grandmother never really seemed worried about anything, despite her protectiveness.

But leaving those thoughts aside, the young girl stood up and walked across the room to where her grandmother had been sitting moments before, having left a large tome behind her. It was a book on Navigation – one her grandmother had carefully written over the years. As Madoka opened the book, she looked at the diagrams and read the words to herself, absorbing all the information.

Madoka had always wanted to see the world. Ever since she was a little girl – or rather, a littler girl – she'd wanted to see the world and observe the sights her grandmother always told her about from her own voyages. As of late they'd finally gotten the chance to carry out that task as she travelled across the Grand Line with her grandmother. However, when Madoka thought about the reasons for their journey now, she couldn't help but frown. They weren't just running about having an adventure, Madoka reminded herself. They had a job to do.

* * *

"Tch, problem after problem… I swear, ever since that old man kicked the bucket we've had our hands full!" a man griped as he walked through the rain, one of his Lieutenants holding an umbrella over his head. He wore his Marine Coat with the word Justice printed on the back, which fluttered behind him as he walked through the rain. He wore a Marine cap as well, but underneath it all he wore a nice, white suit. On his hip rested a cutlass in its scabbard.

If there was a good word to describe Captain Tristan, it was probably "grouchy". His Marines had long since become accustomed to his ranting and grumbling, choosing to simple nod and say yes whenever he began rather than try to discuss problems with him. He usually listened eventually anyway. He found himself furiously struggling with a lighter for the cigarette between his teeth before angrily throwing the lighter to the ground, followed quickly by the cigarette. The Captain took off his cap for a moment to run a hand through his slicked-back brown hair before replacing the cap, turning to his Lieutenant.

"So, where is he?" he demanded to know, frowning. The Lieutenant, a bespectacled blond man, made no expression.

"He's still at the restaurant. He seems to have beaten both Ensign Jordan and Ensign Gardner," the Lieutenant responded.

"Wonderful. He just couldn't make it easy for us!" the Marine Captain spoke. "Well, it's a good thing he's already at the restaurant – When I'm done with him he'll be nothing but seafood!".

"Your wit never fails to entertain, Captain".

"Alright men, move it!" the Captain called out. Grasping their swords and guns tightly, they quickly followed behind as the Captain raced off, running down the road from the Marine base towards the restaurant. The Lieutenant followed close behind, his hand resting on a flintlock pistol in its holster on his right hip.

He wasn't certain why, but he had a bad feeling about tonight.

* * *

In the middle of the sea to the north of the island there sailed a large ship. It moved through the ocean silently as it neared Orsus Island like a phantasm. Its sails were pitch black, hidden amidst the dark clouds, and atop the largest mast was a black flag bearing the image of a skull and crossbones. The skull itself possessed horns and one of the crossbones was replaced with what appeared to be a club.

The ship itself was a large Galleon - a huge vessel armed with cannons. Mounted upon the deck in particular was a huge cannon, large enough to possess a special seat for manning the cannon. Carved into the side of the cannon's barrel were two words - "Giant Killer".

Everyone on the deck looked out towards the island with grins on their faces. A rotund and burly figure wearing a horned helmet smirked as he patted the cannon. Walking onto the deck was a taller, more muscular man wearing a pair of tiger-striped trousers and a black Pirate Captain's coat. Upon his head was a similar helmet, although the horns on his were like a bull's. Tied to his back with a strap was a large iron club that dangled mere inches off the ground. His lips curled into a smirk as he looked upon the island.

"Well boys, if we wanna make a name for ourselves, we gotta start somewhere, right?" the Pirate Captain spoke, smirking as he looked upon the island. Turning slightly towards the shorter, fat man, he spoke. "Kanabo, get on the cannon. It's only polite we introduce ourselves".

The fat man, Kanabo, grinned as he began to climb up into the cannon's seat. Tonight would be one hell of a night.

* * *

**Author: Not much happened, I'll admit, but we got to see some of the main characters, as well as our first antagonist! I hope you liked the chapter! Please be sure to leave a review and tell me what you think :)**


	2. The Storm 2

**Author: Here's the second chapter! I actually much preferred writing this chapter than the first, mainly because I feel we get a much, much better idea of Baldric's character. But I won't spoil anything for you - here it is!**

* * *

"Keep fighting on!"

His fist collided with another man's jaw, sending him to the floor. Already he was replaced by two more, both bearing weapons. But they didn't possess his might and soon, both found themselves thrown back through the air with a swing of his other arm. He heard the clicks of rifles being loaded, but they weren't a threat, either. With but a swing of his arm again, the droplets of rain shot forth like arrows, piercing through armor and knocking back an entire row of Marines with great force.

"He's only one man!"

He let out a bestial roar, daring any to come close as he grasped onto the water with his webbed hands. Even something as small as a raindrop was a weapon for him. Marines bearing riot shields found themselves thrown back as his fist smacked the air with such force that the droplets in the air became like a shockwave, blowing them away.

"He can't possibly defeat all of us!"

A naïve thought. The Fishman bared his sharpened teeth, his muscles tensing as his hand reached down and gripped the ground. Even the very act of gripping was enough to make the ground rupture and shake, with rock dislodging and shifting as men lost their balance, collapsing to the ground. The Fishman slowly rose, breathing slowly and deeply as his shoulders slackened. He looked around at the ranks of Marines as they tried getting to their feet, but in that moment of distraction a large iron ball shot forth, slamming straight into the right side of his chest.

"I've got him!"

The Fishman stumbled, nearly collapsing as he felt the pain shoot through his chest. The iron ball had been on a chain, swung by a burly man with a face full of bruises. The Fishman growled however as he took a firm grip of the chain, pulling with all his might. To the Marine's shock he was pulled off his feet and through the air, sailing straight for the Fishman. The Fishman spared no moment in swinging with his free hand, his fist smashing into the man's face. There was a crunch as the man's nose was broken before he crashed to the ground, landing on his back.

His knuckles were covered in blood. Both his and the Marines'. There were roars and cries and shrieks all around him, but they felt like a blur of sound. It was as if they had all merged into one, a cacophony that blocked out everything else. When he looked around him, he did not see Marines, nor did he see civilians. He only saw Humans. Holding out his webbed hand, water began to collect in his palm like a bowl as he stared them all down. He didn't need to worry about things like aim – as far as the Fishman was concerned, anything and everything around him was an enemy. With conviction he drew his arm back, ready to unleash another barrage.

But before that, his world turned to darkness.

* * *

"Almost there!" the Marine Captain shouted to his men. He raced down the cobbled streets as he kept a firm grip on the sword by his side. Accompanied by twenty men including his Lieutenant, the Marine Captain spared no time in rushing to the scene. From the reports, at least thirty men had already been rushed to the infirmary by the Fishman's doing. Another twenty were currently engaging him.

"_Just who the hell is this bastard? He's already taken on at least half our forces…" _the Marine Captain thought to himself, frowning. They weren't a particularly big or powerful force, true, but not many could claim to take on so many men single-handedly. Surely there weren't many in all of West Blue who could do such a thing. But then, if he was a Fishman, perhaps he wasn't.

"Captain, they should be just around the corner up here," the Lieutenant spoke, keeping his hand on the pistol in his holster. Captain Tristan nodded, his brow furrowing. For the last stretch he quickened his pace, racing around the corner and skidding on the rain-soaked ground as he began to draw his sword.

"You're under arrest, Fishman!" he cried out, holding his blade at the ready. But the sight greeting him was not a furious battle between a Fishman and a group of Marines. While there were certainly plenty of injured Marines helping each other to their feet and carrying the rest, none were engaged in battle. And rather than standing on his feet, the Fishman was currently sitting on the ground, his wrists in seastone cuffs behind his back whilst his feet were tied together. His head drooped as his eyes remained shut, his breathing slow and quiet.

Standing over the Fishman was a large woman of notable girth in black clothing with a white apron and short, brown hair. She looked down upon the Fishman with a look that seemed less angry and more annoyed, like someone who had to put up with an awful racket coming from next door. The Marine Captain and his group of twenty stared, more than a little lost as they looked at the scene. It didn't take long for the woman to notice the Marine Captain or his men and at the sight of them she rolled her eyes.

"_Finally _you show up! I was beginning to wonder if this was all the Marines were capable of…" the woman remarked with a sigh. The Marine Captain frowned, looking around for a moment as he stepped closer.

"What exactly is going on here? And what do you mean 'all that we're capable of'?" Tristan spoke, raising a brow as his features took on a rather cross expression.

"M-My apologies for intruding, sir!" another voice spoke. Turning, the Marine Captain spotted one of the bruised Marines giving him the palm-inward salute. "We were in the middle of fighting the enemy when one of our attacks knocked him through a window into the restaurant. He climbed out quickly after to fight, but after a few minutes of fighting the employee here came out and smacked him across the head!".

"He was asking for it," Alyona remarked. "Knowing my boss, that'll come out of my paycheck!".

The Marine Captain didn't quite know how to react. It wasn't exactly every day this kind of thing happened. Fortunately, the sound of laughter was something he _did _know how to react to. As a burst of laughter filled the air, the Marine Captain found himself frowning even more as he walked past the restaurant employee, gazing in through the broken window to see a cloaked young man in the middle of laughing his ass off, barely managing not to spill the tea in his hand as he snickered. Not bothering with the door, the Marine Captain slowly stepped through the broken window, careful to avoid the sharp glass as he stepped inside.

"And what exactly is so funny?" he spoke, his fists clenched as he stared down at the young man. The young man's laughter died down, but he still possessed a smirk on his face as he set his cup down on the counter, staring back at the Marine Captain.

"What's funny? What _isn't _funny?" the young man began, gesturing towards the window. "There must be more than a dozen men out there, all of them trained Marines, yet barely any of them could even _touch_ a single Fishman. In the end, your men were saved _by one of the civilians you're supposed to be protecting_".

The Marine Captain's fists shook in anger as he grit his teeth. This was apparently exactly what the young man was looking for, judging by how his smirk only grew.

"If that isn't hilarious, I don't know what is," Baldric remarked, giving a low chuckle. At this point the Marine Captain raised a hand, pointing a finger right in the kid's face.

"Not another word, unless you want to spend a night in jail!" the Marine Captain threatened, practically growling. The young man, as if to mock him, began to raise his hand and put his index finger and thumb together, dragging them across his mouth as if to zip it close. But the smirk on his face still got under the Captain's skin. His nostrils flared a little as he stared at the young man for a second before turning, deciding to head back outside. From the window both Alyona and the Lieutenant had been watching, with the Lieutenant giving a small sigh as he shook his head. Leaving through the window, the Captain had already begun barking orders about taking the Fishman back to the base and carrying the wounded to the infirmary.

The door of the restaurant creaked open as Alyona stepped inside, letting it shut behind her. She turned towards Baldric, her brow raised inquisitively.

"You certainly don't have much respect for authority," Alyona remarked, giving a small giggle. Baldric shook his head.

"Oh, I have respect. Plenty of it. Just not for people who don't deserve it," he responded, drinking the rest of his tea. As he emptied the cup, he placed it back down on the counter. "Besides, you called him out on it as well. I just decided to make fun of him a lot more".

Baldric got off the stool and stood upright, reaching into his pocket. Pulling out a handful of notes, he offered the handful to Alyona.

"This should cover the bill, plus tip. I'd love to stick around, but I've got some errands to run. You know how it goes," he remarked, smiling. Smiling back, Alyona nodded and accepted the notes, pocketing them.

"Well, if you're ever looking for a meal…" Alyona spoke. Smiling a little more, Baldric nodded and began to walk past, heading out the door. The door shut close behind him. For a moment Alyona stared back before turning back and walking behind the counter.

You didn't see guys like him walk in every day of the week.

* * *

A dozen rowboats drifted into the bay, with at least half a dozen men sitting in each. Although the rain fell hard upon the whole of the island, there was still a strange calmness all around. Slowly the boats began to close in on the wooden docks, unnoticed by anyone. From the first rowboat a hand reached up and grasped onto the docks. Gripping tightly a large, muscular man in tiger-striped trousers and a black captain's coat climbed up, undaunted by the weight of a large, iron club on his back. As he rose to full height – looking almost twice as tall as an ordinary man, he looked around and found nothing nearby.

"Is this it?" he spoke, a brow raised. Shortly after him others began to climb onto the docks after tying up their boats – including a shorter, yet nevertheless tall man garbed in a tiger-striped shirt and black trousers with boots.

"Is something wrong, Captain Ushitora?" the second man spoke, a brow raised. The Captain continued to look around, confused.

"I was expecting at least some kind of response… Maybe not a perfect ambush, but this place looks completely empty…" he remarked. Still, only a moment later he began to smirk, satisfied with the conditions. "'Course, I suppose it just makes my job easier, doesn't it?".

The shorter man snickered, taking out a pair of gauntlets as he began to fit them onto his hands. Captain Ushitora stepped forwards, his men now following behind as he walked through the empty docks. Each one drew out their weapons, whether they were swords or pistols or knives. As they began to step towards the town, the Captain spoke.

"Raid, loot, do whatever you want men! But let's not forget the plan! Take their women, their children and their elderly! By the end of the night, this island will be ours!" he called out to the crew, smirking as he heard them howling with laughter. As the Captain looked up towards the Marine base at the top of the island, he mused to himself that it wasn't so difficult conquering an island.

You just had to have a plan.

* * *

A light slowly began to appear before him, blinding him for a moment before his vision adjusted. The Fishman gave a groan as he felt a strange pain in the back of his head. All around him were white walls, a white floor and a white ceiling. As he looked he began to realize that he was moving in spite of the fact that his arms and legs definitely weren't doing anything. As he attempted to move his arms he began to realize they were cuffed together behind his back. Likewise, attempting to move his feet alerted him to the fact that they were tied together. Looking down, he could see the back of a tall, burly Marine. As he looked up again, he could see various more of them watching as the Marine carrying him walked past.

"Looks like you're awake," someone spoke. It was coming from ahead, but with the Fishman's current position it was impossible to see who. Even as the Fishman declined to answer, the person seemed content to continue. "You've caused us far too many problems tonight, you know that?".

The Fishman's nostrils flared as he gave an animalistic snarl. For a moment there was silence, but it was soon broken as the Marines came to a stop. The Fishman could hear the sound of jangling keys and a door being opened before suddenly, whoever had been carrying him decided to throw him off of their shoulder, tossing him though the doorframe. As the Fishman hit the ground he gave a pained grunt. His eyes shut for a moment as he flinched before he opened them again, looking up towards the Marines – and seeing exactly where he was.

All around him were bars and stone. A wall behind him and to his left, whilst to the front and his right were a series of bars. Even the door that had been opened was composed of bars, with a strong locking mechanism. Wasting no time, one of the Marines shut the door. The Fishman looked up, growling as he caught the eyes of the Marine Captain staring down at him. The Captain slowly put away the keys as he looked down, unamused.

"To be honest, I don't really care what reasons you have. All I know is, you've put at least forty of our men in the infirmary. That's more than enough reason for me to lock you in here," the Marine Captain remarked. The Fishman snarled again, but the Captain was unfazed. "Not even a word? I'm beginning to wonder if the stereotypes are true. You're nothing more than a wild beast!".

"Captain Tristan," a voice spoke. Turning, the Captain looked towards his blond Lieutenant. "I suggest we make contact with another West Blue branch. With our numbers having dropped so low overnight, we're in a vulnerable position".

"Of course," the Captain remarked, frowning. "I'll deal with the Fishman later".

The Tiger Shark Fishman watched as the Marines left, leaving him alone in the cell. Shuffling along the ground, he slowly pushed himself onto his knees before moving over and sitting down with his back towards one of the walls. He pulled his knees up in front of himself as he leaned his head back, shutting his eyes for a moment as loose strands of black hair dangled before his face. Slowly turning his head, the Fishman looked out from a small, barred window. Dark clouds lingered in the sky as the rain fell heavily down. He could almost feel the weight of it all falling upon him as he sat alone in the cell. But something soon caught his attention. It was easy to miss at first, but a bright light was shooting through the air, nearly reaching as high as the clouds. It moved in a high arc, ascending as it moved forwards, but now it was curving downwards. The Fishman wasn't quite sure what he was looking at, but he did know one thing – it was coming closer.

* * *

**Author: And there you have it! Our Fishman certainly doesn't seem very talkative, does he? **

**And even though I've been writing Marine Captain Tristan mostly as a throwaway character so far, I'm actually kind of having fun writing him. The next chapter should include a lot more action, I think, so you can look forward to that.**

**As always, be sure to leave a review and let me know what you think!**


	3. The Storm 3

**Author: Yo! 'Tis the third chapter! This is definitely where things start to get a lot more serious! Hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

"Alright, I'll be heading home for the night!"

"Remember! You're here nine o'clock sharp tomorrow morning!"

"I know! I know!"

Pushing through the doorframe of the restaurant, Alyona stepped out into the fresh air of the night for the second time that evening. She let out a sigh as she thought of the day ahead of her tomorrow, knowing she'd be working full days for the foreseeable future. Much as people loved her cooking and returned to the restaurant, they were also well aware just how terrible a boss the manager was. Hiring someone new would take a while, unless people got desperate.

She sighed, thinking of her own situation. She was pretty desperate when she arrived in West Blue – fresh off the boat, having arrived from East Blue, she found herself lost in a sea unfamiliar to her. But here she was, until she saved up her money, at least. But before she could think of her future, Alyona decided that now was the time for sleep. Letting out a yawn, the pudgy woman sighed as she began to walk home in her all-black outfit, at the very least grateful for just how cool the air was.

She thought of the night she'd spent and the odd stranger at the bar - Baldric. It wasn't unusual for her to have a chat with some of the friendlier patrons of the bar and restaurant, provided she wasn't busy, but there was a strange air about him. After all, how many would be willing to openly mock and disrespect the Marines right to the face of the Marine Captain? As she thought to herself earlier, it would be a long while before anyone like him showed up again. It was almost sad - he seemed like an interesting guy, yet he was probably just passing through.

As she walked she looked up towards the stars, ignoring the rain and smiling as she saw how they illuminated the night sky. No matter where you were in the world, the stars were always there for you – always shining down. But as she stared, she began to notice that one of the lights was moving across the sky. At first she thought it to be a falling star, but as she squinted her eyes Alyona realized that it was anything but.

* * *

The wooden cane clacked as it tapped against the cobbled street, accompanied by the steady footsteps of an old woman who possessed the vitality of someone thirty years younger. Despite the cane, the old woman did not appear feeble, but instead strode forth with confidence in her step.

The older woman clutched a bag filled with food – namely, her dinner for the night. She walked with purpose, possessing no intention of getting sidetracked. However, as she walked, a second pair of footsteps began to accompany hers. Normally, the elderly woman was not one to immediately suspect that it was anything other than a civilian. But whether you called it the intuition of an experienced woman or her keen senses, it didn't take long for her to realize that the footsteps were following her.

As she came to a stop, so did whoever was following her – confirming her suspicions. She breathed in before letting out a sigh, looking to the skies for a brief moment before turning. The silver-haired woman stared back towards a cloaked young man with dark hair and a smile a mile wide, but whether it was a smile to be trusted or not was another matter entire. The old woman's eyes narrowed.

"It's impolite to be following people around, you know…" she spoke, turning fully now to face him. The young man's expression didn't change as he shrugged his shoulders, raising his palms upwards.

"What can I say? I'm not exactly a polite guy. But if it's any consolation, it's hardly without reason," he responded, crossing his arms.

"No one's without reason, kid. But whatever you're looking for, I'm not interested," she remarked, brushing him off. But before the old woman could turn away, the young man took a single step forwards and spoke.

"That's a bit rich, coming from a wanted criminal," he called after her, causing the old woman to stop in her tracks, she turned, staring back at him as he continued to smile. She frowned.

"That was a long time ago".

"You know as well as I do that the Marines don't forget, 'One-Stroke' Sasaki," he told her, drawing out from his cloak a single sheet of paper. Upon the page was an image of a dark-haired woman in her thirties with a cold look, drawing a blade from its scabbard. The old woman's frown deepened as she looked upon the portrait, but she said nothing.

**WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE**

'**One-Stroke' Sasaki Sakura**

The only information missing from the Bounty Poster was the price – which had apparently been burnt off a long time ago, if the creases of the page and the small tears were any indication of how old the document was.

The cloaked figure dangled the paper in his hand, chuckling to himself before he folded the paper and returned it to the inside of his cloak. He watched Sakura's expression closely, who in turn gave him a look that probably could have skewered him were it possible to literally stare daggers at someone.

"I'd heard rumors on the seas that you were beginning to move again, but no one really knew if it was definitely true. I'm glad I got to you first. After all, if someone else got to you first…" he trailed off.

"What of it? I haven't got time to entertain children like you," the old woman spoke up, her cane clacking down against the cobblestones to emphasize her point. He raised his hands defensively.

"Hey, hey. I'm not trying to start a fight here. Actually, I want to help you!" he retorted, earning a raised brow from the elderly woman.

"Help?"

"Of course!" he remarked, beaming. "I don't know what it is, but it's clear you're looking for something! But you've been out of the game a long time, and the world is a very different place now… In the world of Pirates, I have the connections you need to find what you're looking for".

"Hmph," the old woman frowned, her cane tapping against the ground again. "Even if you could help me, I'm not an old fool. There's no reason a punk kid like you'd help out someone like me unless you wanted something in return. What's your price?".

"Simple!" he exclaimed with a smile. "Join my crew as a Navigator! You've sailed around these seas before, right? If anyone can navigate the Grand Line, it's-".

For reasons Sakura couldn't immediately understand, the young man fell silent. His eyes stared up above the old woman's head, dumbstruck as his jaw began to drop. Turning around, she suddenly realized why.

Flying through the air was some kind of large spark, like a flame that moved on its own. It passed through the sky like a comet, burning through the atmosphere as it descended. As the two quickly realized, it was dropping down upon the Marine Base.

The flame crashed into the building suddenly, letting out a sudden boom that echoed across the island. The flames jumped, swirling about as smoke now rose from the Marine Base. It didn't take long for either of the two to realize what had happened, but it was the elderly woman who reacted first by suddenly taking off, dashing down the street at speeds above and beyond what one might expect of an elderly woman.

"H-Hey, wait a minute!" Baldric called out, beginning to run after the old woman with a hand outstretched. "We're not done here!".

"I've got no time to waste on you, brat! If the island's getting attacked, then it's not safe here!" she retorted before picking up her pace, outrunning the younger man. Baldric found himself slowing to a stop, watching as the elderly woman ran out of sight. He paused as he stood there, finding himself incredibly confused.

What did 'One-Stroke Sasaki' have to fear? What could the West Blue's breed of pirates possibly do to her? His brow furrowed as Baldric found himself lost in his own thoughts. She certainly hadn't lost her touch, if she was capable of outrunning him. Which meant…

He stopped at that moment and smirked. Reaching under his cloak he gripped the handle of a broadsword and began to draw it out. He looked back towards the bay, where there was likely to be a Pirate ship. Everything was coming together, he realized. He let out a chuckle.

This pirate attack might have been the best thing that had happened all night.

* * *

"Water! We need water!"

Marines dashed back and forth through the corridors carrying buckets of water, splashing it atop the fires in an attempt to put them out. Others fumbled for gas masks as they tried to avoid inhaling the smoke from the fires.

Captain Tristan swore loudly, keeping an arm raised over his face as he stared at the destruction. The blast had blown open the left wing of the Marine base. Debris fell down as the structure of the wing became no longer stable. Now, even as Marines rushed to put out the fires, the smoke and debris completely shut off a whole section of the Marine Base.

"The hell is with this attack…?" the Captain spoke to himself, his brows furrowing. "What the hell has that kind of firepower in this Blue?"

"Sir!" the Lieutenant called out. Turning on the spot, the Captain looked towards the Lieutenant, whose normally stony expression was now fraught with concern as sweat dripped from his brow.

"What is it?" the Captain responded, raising a brow. Yet at the same time, he didn't really need to ask. It was just that right now, a part of him was simply hoping the news would not be as dire as the Lieutenant would tell him.

"There have been reports of Pirates arriving on the island. Already numerous houses, hotels and other shelters have been broken into. People have been abducted," the Lieutenant spoke, swallowing a lump in his throat. The Captain sighed, shaking his head before he turned back to the smoky hallway. He'd already lost half of his active force thanks to the Fishman sending them all to the infirmary. With the sudden surprise attack, as well as the hostages, the Marines were in a terrible position.

"It can never be too easy, huh?" the Captain remarked with a growl. His hands tightened into fists. Nothing was looking good for them or the people of Orsus Island. Not at this rate. He turned, looking back to the Lieutenant. "Get me snipers on the rooftop! I want to have eyes on these Pirates! If we can take them out quickly, we might not have to worry about the Hostages! I also want a team of men assembled straight away to accompany me into the town!".

The Lieutenant looked at him, pausing for a moment. It wasn't a brilliant plan, but in this situation, it was the best they had. With a nod, the bespectacled man quickly ran off, heading back down the corridors. Casting one last glance back towards the smoky corridor, the Marine Captain narrowed his eyes. Even in this terrible time, at least he could rest with some peace knowing that the Fishman was likely either burnt to a crisp, suffocating or crushed following that strike. Turning back, the Captain walked down the other corridor, ready to head out at a moment's notice. He was a Marine, after all.

It was his job to mete out Justice or die trying.

* * *

Letting out a cough, the Fishman groaned as he pushed himself up from the ground, his eyes still shut as the ground beneath him felt soft and muddy. He wasn't sure what had happened. One minute there had been a bright light and the next it was like the world turned dark for a moment. Now he was out here in the rain, his face and rags covered in dirt.

He grit his teeth, pushing himself up fours – or at least, what would have been all fours were his arms not bound behind his back. A pain shot through his body, but even so he ignored it. He'd faced worse pain before in his life and suffered. Something like this wasn't going to keep him down. He raised a webbed hand and rubbed his face, removing the mud from his eyes. But as he opened them, he could see red mixed in on his hand. Blood was dripping from a wound on his forehead, and not without good reason.

With a groan he pushed himself onto his knees, his back straightening up as he looked towards the sky. Tilting his head, he could see a steep hill that had been scorched, as well as smoke billowing out of a hole in the side of the partially destroyed Marine Base. Had this been fate? He wasn't sure, and normally he didn't care for such things, but this was his chance. With another strain he pushed himself up onto his feet-

-Before crashing right back down to his knees again. He let out a gasp, clutching his stomach. It was worse than he thought, he realized – his whole body ached with pain. He should have known it wouldn't have been that easy. Still, the Fishman was determined not to let this defeat him. Crawling around, he brought himself to a tree nearby and pressed himself against it, using it to steady his balance as he raised himself up. Ahead, through the trees, he could see the town and the open seas. As rain washed the blood and dirt down his face, he found himself steadily limping forwards.

Fishmen may have been known for their toughness, but even then it seemed insane to keep going. But despite the pain and the exhaustion, an indomitable drive within him told him to keep moving forwards. Even though his bones ached and his legs shook, he refused to slow down. Even with his arms bound behind him with Seastone cuffs, he refused to stop.

The bastards would pay. Every single one of them.

* * *

**Author: Quite a bit of exposition in this one! Looks like Madoka's grandmother is a lot more important than she appears, huh? Not to mention, our Fishman friends seems remarkably driven towards whatever goal he has in mind. And of course, yet more light is shed on what kind of person Baldric is...**

**I hope you liked the chapter. Be sure to review and let me know what you think!**


	4. The Storm 4

The old woman raced through the streets, clutching her cane in her hand as she moved like lightning. Despite her age, she hurried with a speed that was practically supersonic, swerving around street corners. She couldn't wait around – she had to keep moving as quickly as possible.

She skidded along the rain-soaked street as she turned another corner, her brows furrowing as she spotted her hotel up ahead. She grit her teeth, quickly darting towards her temporary residence. But as she got closer, she found herself visibly shaking at the sight of the scene.

The door was off its hinges, having apparently been broken down. Stepping through the doorframe, Yoshie entered the building and looked around. All around her was broken and overturned furniture in the lobby.

The old woman raced down one of the corridors, her thoughts fixated on her granddaughter. Already, things were looking bad. With no time to spare, the old woman rushed around a corner to find herself facing a broken down door – the very one that led to the room they were staying in.

"Madoka! Madoka!" Yoshie cried out, rushing into the room. But it was too late – aside from overturned furniture and broken glass, there was nothing. Still, Yoshie persisted, running into the room and looking around. Her eyes darted left or right, but there was no sign of the young girl hiding away. The old woman's fist shook.

It was then she found herself stepping on something. Looking down, she took her foot away to see a tome lying on the floor – a book on navigation she herself had written. It lay shut on the floor, having been knocked off the table – or perhaps out of someone's hands.

The old woman knelt down, reaching for the book and picking it up. Her silver bangs fell, partially obscuring her face as she looked down. Holding the book close to her chest, the old woman stood up and tightened her already firm grip on her cane.

These pirates had made the worst mistake of their lives.

* * *

"Let me go!" the young girl cried out, swuirming in the hold of the much larger man. She'd been pinned against him as he held her up in a headlock. Her arms clutched around his much bulkier one, attempting to tear him away but to no avail. A single one of his arms was enough to keep her restrained. But of course, the purpose wasn't just to keep her restrained.

It was also to restrain the Marines.

Before them was a group of at least a dozen men, but most of them had already been knocked out. The Marine Captain knelt in front of them all, supporting himself with his sword like it was a cane. Blood was trickling down the side of his face as he stared up at the burly man who held Madoka hostage. A group of half a dozen Pirates stood alongside him, none of them possessing even a scratch.

"What's wrong? Is this all West Blue's Marines can do? You make me weep, Captain," the burly man, Ushitora, spoke. "My takeover of West Blue will be _far_ too easy at this rate!".

"Coward!" Captain Tristan snapped back, pushing himself back onto his feet. "You're just hiding behind hostages for cover!".

"It's not cowardice. It's intelligence!" the Pirate Captain retorted, smirking. "Marines like you, dedicated to maintaining peace, just can't keep up with Pirates! If you were really dedicated to peace, you'd kill even this little girl for the sake of the rest of the island!".

Madoka found his hold on her tighten a little. She attempted to try and break out, but it was to no use – the Pirate Captain was far too strong. Reaching for the iron club on his back, Captain Ushitora grasped the handle firmly and raised it into the air, allowing the Marines a good look at his weapon.

"But Pirates aren't held back by such rules. Goodbye, Marine Captain!" the Pirate remarked. Swinging his club down, Ushitora managed to knock the Marine Captain off his feet, the force of the iron club knocking into him being more than enough to throw him through the air and crash through the ranks of his men. The man skidded and bounced down the cobblestone street like a rock skipped across the water, eventually coming to a stop. After that, the Marine Captain didn't appear to move. Ushitora laughed as Madoka watched, trembling. But soon their thoughs were interrupted by a loud crashing sound.

Turning his head, the Pirate Captain looked off to the side, where far down the street a building could be seen collapsing into rubble. He raised a brow, confused. "Strange, I didn't order another shot…".

"It's probably nothing, Captain!" one of the Pirates spoke up. Someone with a cannon probably just got a bit trigger-happy!".

"Yeah," Captain Ushitora spoke, shaking his head. "That must be it. C'mon, men. We've got a base to capture!".

The Pirates strolled along, walking past the ranks of fallen Marines as Madoka stayed still in Ushitora's grasp, not daring to move. Still, as she thought about how that building collapsed, she couldn't help but wonder if it was really a cannon. The other cannon they fired earlier had struck the Marine Base, but it had caused much greater damage. Could an ordinary cannon hit a target this far inland?

She wasn't sure what caused that destruction, but she knew she didn't want to get in its way any time soon.

* * *

"Uaaaagh!"

Another pirate cried out in pain as a fist smashed into his face, knocking him to the ground. His hands moved up to clutch his nose, which was bleeding profusely from the punch. He quickly scurried away in fear as his allies, even as they surrounded the figure, stood back and watched her warily.

She shouldn't have been this physically powerful. She stood fairly tall, of course, easily at least six feet in height, if not taller. Her figure definitely made her seem even bigger than that as she possessed a very full, rounded shape. But no single person should be this strong, they reasoned. No single person – some random civilian, too – should be able to knock them away so easily!

The brown haired woman sighed, her fists raised as she looked around at the group of four. Letting out a yell, three of the men rushed her at once - two from the front and one from behind. Each one brandished a weapon, whether it was a sword or a club. But she showed no intimidation or fear for herself.

Instead, the hefty woman spun around, grabbing the man that had approached from behind before he could make his attack. In the same move she continued to rotate, swinging the man around as a makeshift weapon and throwing him into his crewmates, knocking the three of them down at once.

The three of them scrambled to get back to their feet as Alyona sighed, putting her hands on her hips. They really weren't worth much of her time, but they just wouldn't quit it. One would think that having the advantage of numbers would make it easy for them, but it was already quite obvious that none of them were a match for her.

"You know," she began, raising a finger. "If you'd just tell me where your Boss is and leave this island alone, we don't have to do this".

"Like hell we don't!" the man with the bleeding nose snapped back as he held up his cutlass. "Now that Ol' Man Whitebeard's dead, every Pirate is gunning for power! The World Government's gonna have to do everything in its power to just control the Grand Line! This is our shot to make it big in West Blue!".

With a loud yell the man rushed forwards, raising his sword. Alyona was ready to fight back, but it seemed their battle was to be cut short – the wall of the building to their right suddenly broke apart, with debris flying outwards. The two stopped, looking towards the wall for a moment. But in that single moment, a figure already made it's attack.

It moved incredibly quickly, racing towards the pirate and swinging its leg with such force that the pirate was soon flung through the air, his body crashing through the wall of another building behind him. Alyona gasped, looking back to the figure as the pirates screamed in fright. The group she'd been fighting had been quick to run, but Alyona was willing to let them leave. The figure standing before her was a far worse opponent.

Standing almost as tall as she was, he was far leaner in figure yet nevertheless his body was defined with strong, toned muscles. His skin was a dark tan, with stripes covering his body that were a shade darker. His only clothing consisted of worn, old rags and his arms were bound behind his back with a pair of handcuffs. His body looked injured and beaten, but even so there was a savage glint in his eye – of someone looking for a fight. His dark hair was like a wild mane.

"You…!" she spoke, recognizing the Fishman instantly. The Fishman stared back, baring his sharp teeth as he cracked his own neck. Alyona frowned, keeping her fists up. Before, she managed to get away with knocking him out by attacking a weak spot with his back turned. But now, his attention was focused entirely on her.

The Fishman immediately lunged forwards, his jaws snapping furiously as he attempted to bite the woman again and again. Alyona immediately caught him by the shoulders and pushed back, attempting to hold him away from her as he continued snapping his jaws. Before she could respond however his foot came up, slamming his sole into her stomach. Alyona stumbled back from the blow, which gave the Fishman a chance to bite.

Still, Alyona was hardly done. As soon as he lunged in, she swung with her fist, managing to land a right hook in his face that knocked him off course. Despite his raw strength, he fell to the ground once he was knocked off balance. But the Fishman quickly rolled around, rolling back onto his feet quickly before Alyona could follow up with another attack.

Once more he dashed towards her, his teeth bared. Alyona swung her fist again, but he quickly dodged her hook with a ducking maneuver, his body twisting as he raised his leg. A powerful roundhouse kick slammed into Alyona's side, causing her to stumble sideways before falling off balance and hitting the floor. She cringed from the force of the kick, one arm clutching her side as she kept her eyes on the Fishman. Even now, weak and bounded, he was a strong opponent.

"_I might even need to transform…"_ Alyona thought to herself, watching as the Fishman now rushed towards her and swung his leg again. Blocking the attack with her arm, she quickly wrapped her arms around the limb and rolled over, pulling the Fishman with her and slamming him face-first into the ground. Alyona quickly attempted to pin him down, but the Fishman quickly tried to bite her, which was enough to get her to back off. Rolling away from her, the Fishman rolled back onto his feet again, standing before Alyona as she got to her feet.

"I don't want to hurt you!" Alyona spoke, attempting to reason with the Fishman. "I don't know why you're angry, but-".

"Of course you wouldn't know!" the Fishman snapped back, racing towards her. His leg snapped up, forcing Alyona to block as he now delivered a series of continuous kicking attacks, forcing her on the defense. His furious offense kept forcing Alyona to step back, keeping her defense up to protect herself. Despite not having the use of his hands, he was still an effective fighter. Or rather, it seemed almost as if he'd fought with bound arms many times before.

"_Alright, there's no getting around it. I have to-" _Alyona stopped in her thoughts for only a moment. Just over the Fishman's shoulder, she could see another person rushing straight towards him. His body was garbed in a black cloak, with a hood raised over his head. The Fishman was about to lunge in with a biting attack, but Alyona was too distracted to defend against the strike.

But then, the same could be said of the Fishman.

Before he managed to sink his fangs into the chef, a strong blow slammed into the back of his head. The Fishman fell forwards from the strike, his head crashing against the ground first. Everything in the Fishman's vision soon blurred and turned black as he fell unconscious once more. This time, standing over him was the cloaked figure, who held an arm outstretched that was clad in a dark sleeve and a black glove.

"B-Baldric!" Alyona spoke first, surprised by the sight of the cloaked figure. Indeed, beneath the cloak was the dark-haired young man with the scar across the bridge of his nose. Rather than answer the chef directly however, the young man looked down at the Fishman, poking him with his foot.

"Man, it's just not his day, is it?" Baldric spoke, bemused. Kneeling down, the young man looked at the handcuffs on the Fishman's wrists and touched them, inspecting them. "Yeah, looks like it's Seastone alright. They sure are thorough…".

"W-What are you doing here?" Alyona asked, confused by the young man's sudden appearance. Baldric looked up, smiling to the young woman.

"Well, I was originally running an errand, but it looks like things have changed. Can you help carry this guy?" Baldric asked, gesturing to the Fishman.

"_Carry_ him?" Alyona asked, a little incredulous.

"Of course," Baldric responded, standing up. "I've got it all worked out. By the end of tonight, the island will be safe and I'll have finished my errands!".

Alyona stared, a brow raised.

"Your errands?" she asked, looking at the cloaked figure. Baldric chuckled again.

"Recruiting. What else?".

* * *

Capturing the Marine Base was little effort to the Pirate Captain and his men. Swarming the base, using hostages as shields – it hadn't taken them long to overcome everyone who came towards them. And any who did dare to attack anyway swiftly met with Ushitora's iron club.

The Pirate Captain laughed boisterously, swinging his club with reckless abandon as he kept the young girl pinned up against him as a meat shield. The Marines were thrown left and right as he strolled down the corridor, swatting away enemies with a casual ease.

"Is there not a single one of you capable of fighting? Poor show! Poor show!" Captain Ushitora laughed to himself, knocking down another Marine. The rest were beginning to flee, realizing they stood little chance. He continued to laugh, watching them run with their tail between their legs, but the Pirate Captain began to hear a whisper.

He looked around for a moment, but he soon realized that the whispering was coming from the little girl he currently had in a headlock. He smirked, amused as he looked down at the young blonde in the kimono.

"Muttering your prayers?" he asked bemusedly. The little girl shook her head.

"No," she began, looking up out of the corner of her eyes. "I'm just saying… Once my grandmother gets here, you'll regret capturing me".

The Pirates collectively let out a haughty laugh, amused by the young girl's words. The Pirate Captain shook his head, recollecting himself as he continued to walk with Madoka in his arm.

"Is that so?" he responded, a brow raised. "Then let her come – Maybe she'll fare better than these dogs!".

They all laughed again in amusement, but the little girl chuckled quietly to herself. They'd soon regret their actions. They _always_ did.

* * *

**Author: Things are beginning to get a bit intense! Baldric's setting his plan into motion and Captain Ushitora has practically conquered Orsus Island. I hope you guys like this chapter! And as always, be sure to leave a review letting me know what you think of the story!**


	5. Romance Dawn

A pain rang through his head like bells, as though his brain was bouncing against the inside of his skull. The Fishman groaned, his eyes still shut as he breathed heavily. He was moving again, yet it wasn't under his own control. He began to open his eyes, finding everything to be a blur. It felt like a minute before his eyes could finally adjust, creating a full picture.

As he thought, the ground was moving below him. He was facing down as he felt himself bump up and down. Seeing a pair of legs walking beneath him made it clear he was being carried by someone. He tried to move his feet, but it quickly became apparent that now not only were his hands bound, but his feet as well. He grit his sharp teeth. Slowly the Fishman's gaze rose, seeing another person's legs moving behind. His gaze rose further up the figure's body until finally he found the man's face.

The young man with the scar across his nose smiled as the Fishman locked eyes with him. The cloaked young man strode along at an easy pace after the person carrying the Fishman. He was relaxed and confident, but more than that his expression was like that of someone who knew something you didn't. It was the kind of smug face he wanted to punch as much as he could.

"Ah, so you're awake! I guess it must be those Fishman genes – Swimming around at the bottom of the sea must make anyone tough. Or perhaps you're a special case?" the young man questioned him, though it was uncertain if he was actually looking for an answer. The Fishman didn't care to answer regardless.

"Who… The hell… are you?" he growled, his brows furrowed as he bared his teeth. The young man didn't seem intimidated, but rather kept on smiling.

"You can call me Baldric, but let's not get off topic," Baldric spoke, raising a hand and pointing back to the Fishman. "Right now, this is all about you. Do you have a name?".

"Go to hell!" the Fishman snapped back. Baldric paused.

"Well, that's not a very nice name. I can see why you're always so angry…"

"It's always just a joke to you, isn't it?" the Fishman snarled, furious.

"Um, Baldric?" a third voice spoke, belonging to the large, rotund woman who carried the Fishman upon her shoulder. "Maybe we shouldn't-"

"Laughter is the best medicine, or so I'm told," Baldric remarked, ignoring Alyona's protests. The Fishman snarled again.

"It's always so easy to laugh, isn't it? But I made a promise to myself," the Fishman spoke, his whole body tensing. "I'll turn that laughter into tears! For you and every other Human!"

Baldric's smile began to fade as he looked into the Fishman's eyes. He could see burning hatred. There was no untruth to his words, he knew.

"You'd really make an enemy of the world, huh?" Baldric spoke, any trace of his usual jovial tone gone. "I guess we're not much different, then…"

"Watch your tongue," the Fishman responded, his eyes narrowing. "I won't be compared to a Human".

"It's true," Baldric replied. "I've seen this world for what it is, Fishman. All of its ugliness and all of its sickness. I can tell you've probably seen it too. So I want to help you".

"Help?" the Fishman repeated, almost spitting. "I've seen your kind's protectors and helpers, Human, and they didn't care! You expect me to trust you?!"

"To be honest? I doubt I can make you trust me," the young man remarked, his expression serious. "But if there is a chance… I'd like to make a deal with you. In addition to your freedom, I'll agree to any terms you want. And in return, I want your help for just this night. Is that a deal you can make?"

Alyona swallowed a lump in her throat as she continued to walk, her body tensing as she listened. She glanced back over her shoulder, attempting to watch the conversation as it played out between the two men. But for a long time, there was only a silent pause.

"… Kai," the Fishman spoke at last, breaking the silence. "My name is Kai".

* * *

The room was large and mostly empty, save for a wooden desk. In the center of the room a group of half a dozen hostages had been tied up, surrounded by two dozen men. In addition to the two-dozen men, two men and a young girl stood behind the desk.

The young girl was blonde, wearing a green kimono. She sat on the desk with her arms bound to her sides by a rope, along with her legs. Behind the desk was a tall man in a tiger-striped shirt who wore a pair of gauntlets. And of course, next to him was a large, muscular man in the black Captain's coat who carried a large iron club on his back.

The young girl, Madoka, had discovered that the tall man with the gauntlets was the First Mate and went by the name Onigawara. He seemed relaxed and confident, leaning against the back wall with his arms crossed over his chest. He watched over the group in the room with amusement, as if the whole thing was a game. Of course, in that regard he wasn't much different to his Captain, Ushitora.

Ushitora was a giant of a man, towering over even Onigawara. He stood with his arms crossed, looking down upon the little girl. He had to admit, he was rather impressed – for a hostage, the little girl was showing a lot of backbone. Still, he couldn't believe it was anything more than naivety.

"You've already taken over the island," Madoka spoke, frowning. "Why do you still want us?"

"Insurance," Ushitora remarked, smirking as he walked around the desk. "The Marines aren't going to bomb this place so long as we've got hostages".

"Coward!" Madoka snapped back, sticking out her tongue. "If you were really tough, you wouldn't resort to cheap tricks!".

The Captain burst out in laughter as he slapped one of his hands down on the table. His roaring laughter filled the room and suddenly Madoka found herself shrinking back a bit. He turned his gaze and looked back to her, still smirking.

"Coward? Only a weakling would dare say something so pathetic," the Pirate Captain remarked. "Battles aren't won through fairness. Not even the Marines are that naïve. But then, what would a kid know?"

Before the girl could respond, a Den Den Mushi sitting on the desk began to ring out. The Captain's attention was drawn away as he looked to it. Reaching out, he grabbed the receiver and raised it out.

"What is it?" Ushitora began, but suddenly he began to overhear cries of anguish over the line. His eyes widened, his jaw dropping slightly before he grit his teeth. "What is it? What's going on? Is something happening?"

"Captain!" a voice cried out on the other end of the line. The bang of guns could be heard, but they were quickly followed by more cries of pain and shrieks of fear. The large man's hand shook as he held the receiver.

"What's going on?!" he demanded an answer, his expression stern.

"Captain! It's horrible!" a sniveling voice spoke back. "She's… She's overpowering us! No matter how many guns or how many swords or how many men we have… She… She-!"

He could hear a splatter of _something _before the line turned to static. The Pirate Captain frowned, looking at the receiver for a moment before setting it down. He turned back towards the rest of his men, who looked surprised at what they had overheard. He frowned, glaring at his own men.

"At arms, men!"

* * *

Another body fell to the floor as she strode through the corridor. Her silver hair fluttered behind her with each step as she clutched her wooden cane firmly in her hand. The old woman stared forwards intently, her face like stone as she proceeded without stopping. Two men stood down at the end of the corridor, their legs shaking as the stared at her.

Behind her was a corridor stained with blood – as many as six people now lay across the floor and leaning against the wall, staining the walls and floors with their blood. Their weapons were broken and their bodies covered in gashes. Yet in spite of the carnage, not a single drop of blood could be seen on the old woman's body, nor even a scratch.

"N… No way…" one of the men spoke. "This shouldn't be possible… This shouldn't be possible!"

"D-Don't just stand there!" the other retorted nervously. "She's just some old hag!"

The old woman made no visible change in expression, but her hand began to move across, grasping the handle of her wooden cane. At that both men immediately tensed up before quickly raising their guns and taking aim. The old woman's brows furrowed.

Both men yelled loudly as they began to attack, firing relentlessly at the old woman. But almost like a dance, she swerved and twisted around their bullets at a speed that could barely even be comprehended by the two men. In mere moments she stood before them, now within reach.

They both jumped in fright as she stepped close and one of the men immediately took their rifle and swung it like a club. In the same moment however, the old woman pulled on the handle of her cane, drawing from the cane a sharp blade.

Neither man ever actually saw the attack. In an instant the man's rifle was cut in two, the other half dropping to the floor. The man watched as blood burst sideways from his partner's throat, but he found that the moment he tried to run his own chest seemed to burst open, staining the floor with red. The air was knocked out of his lungs, making him unable to even cry out in pain as he collapsed to the floor, losing consciousness. In that instant, the old woman was once again returning the cane-sword to its scabbard, walking along without breaking her pace.

She looked towards a set of large, wooden doors at the end of the hallway. She knew that beyond those doors was where the Pirates were – and most importantly, where Madoka was. The very thought made her blood boil, but she did not worry. She was a Pirate, after all. When enemies threatened those closest to you, it was an act of war.

And soon, these runts would regret picking a fight with 'One Stroke' Sasaki Sakura.

* * *

All of the Pirates stood patiently a few feet from the door, their weapons raised. There was a long silence as they watched the door, waiting for the enemy to come. Captain Ushitora frowned as he watched, feeling chills running down his spine. Who could possibly be killing his men out there? Who was strong enough on this island to tear through the dozen men he'd left on guard?

He noticed out of the corner of his eye that the girl was smiling to herself. He frowned, looking back to the door. She couldn't possibly think it was her grandmother, could she? There was no way an old woman could fight their way through a gang of Pirates, much less _his_ crew. Still, the little girl seemed far too sure of herself. She was just a naïve runt, wasn't she?

He was torn from his thoughts however as the doors suddenly burst off of their hinges, breaking and splintering into pieces as they hit the floor. Almost immediately three of his men rushed forwards to attack, but they had only ended up sealing their own fate.

An elderly woman stepped through the wreckage of the doors, her moving quickly as her cane-sword arced through the air. The very tip of the blade passed through flesh, carving through the three men as they charged towards her. Before even a single one of them could attempt an attack she walked between them, flicking her sword down to remove the blood from the blade as all three men crashed to the ground, gashes and cuts opening across their bodies. The other men in the room jumped back in fright, clutching their weapons tightly in front of them as the old woman stopped for a moment, staring directly towards the Captain.

Ushitora froze, staring back at the old woman as sweat trickled down his brow. He began to realize, even as no words were uttered, exactly what the old woman was ready to say.

I am going to kill you.

His body shook as he stared. The chills down his spine were intense. He felt like a blade had been pressed against his neck, or a gun had been pressed against his head. He'd felt fear before, but this was something else entirely. This was pure, unbridled _terror._

"K… Kill her, men!" he roared at the top of his lungs. Despite their similar fears, not a single man dared to go against the Captain. Letting out their battle cries, another two men rushed towards Sakura. One swung his blade, but Sakura was quick to parry his attack. Then, in one instant she rose both the scabbard and her sword, using the scabbard to strike one of the men in the throat before he attacked whilst her blade pierced through the other man's chest. Both fell backwards, letting out gasps for air as they hit the floor.

Another man had already raised his rifle, aiming for the old woman. Yet even so, as he fired, Sakura deftly avoided his bullets with little effort, her blade swinging through the air. She wasn't nearly close enough to touch him, yet nevertheless the man's weapon was suddenly split in half lengthwise before a long slice opened up down his face and torso, causing blood to gush out as he cried in pain.

"We'll tear you limb from limb!" another Pirate shouted as he swung at her with a cutlass from behind. Sakura raised her scabbard, blocking and deflecting the attack before she turned her head, her eyes staring into his. The man found himself paralyzed with terror as he stared into them, only to find that a second later she had slashed through his chest with her cane-sword, causing him to crumble to the ground.

"The hell is she?" one crewmember spoke, shrinking back as he shook in fear. "No one can even put a scratch on her!"

"Enough!" the Captain bellowed, catching Sakura's attention immediately. She turned towards him, her eyes widening slightly as she saw what he was doing. He held Madoka up in a firm and tight headlock, whilst in his free hand he held a pistol that was positioned with the muzzle right against Madoka's head. Madoka's eyes were widened, her mouth closed tightly as she looked towards the pistol pressed against her. Sakura's hand shook with anger as she clutched her cane-sword.

"Don't you dare-"

"I won't!" Captain Ushitora spoke, smirking even as sweat fell down his brow. "But neither will you! This is your granddaughter, right? Of course it is – she's why you came here! I won't shoot her, but unless you put down your weapon and stand still, I'll shoot her!"

Sakura stared, glaring daggers at the Pirate Captain. But the Pirate Captain refused to back down, smirking smugly as he curled his finger around the trigger. After a long and tense pause, the silver-haired woman shut her eyes, her hands opening as she dropped both her cane-sword and her scabbard to the ground. Ushitora grinned wider, chuckling.

"That's it. That's the smart decision…" he remarked, continuing to laugh. "You've cost me a lot of men, but I'm not scared. I still hold the upper hand. Not even someone as strong as you can defeat me!"

The other Pirates began to laugh alongside their Captain. Onigawara smirked, stepping out from behind the desk as he made his way through the crowd of Pirates and passed the other hostages by. Sakura stared down Onigawara as he neared, but in the current situation the tall man had no reason to fear the old woman.

"But I'm not a forgiving person, you know… You've killed a lot of my men, so I think I'll have Onigawara break you!" Ushitora taunted her, grinning. "Fair's fair, right? I won't let you enjoy the pleasure of dying until you've been beaten into a pulp! Onigawara!"

The man grinned as he raised his gauntlet-covered fists. Stepping close, he swung his right fist right into Sakura's stomach, causing the old woman to tense up and grit her teeth as the blow struck hard. With a grin, Onigawara continued to swing and swing, striking the old woman with a series of strong blows across the face and torso.

Sakura refused to budge or fall down, but each blow struck hard. Blood began to trickle down the old woman's face from her forehead and from her mouth as her lips burst. Strike after strike shook her, causing her to flinch from the pain.

Madoka shut her eyes, fighting back tears. It was all her fault for getting captured. It was her fault her grandmother was now getting mercilessly beaten by the Pirates. She couldn't bear to watch the scene before her, but even hearing the impacts of iron against flesh made her wince. But as the sounds reverberated, she began to hear a collection of new sounds – a strange thumping against stone.

It began to slowly get louder as the seconds passed, at first sounding fain but now ringing out loudly. In the midst of his beating to the old woman Onigawara stopped, pausing as he looked around. Ushitora likewise froze, wondering where the loud and continuous banging was coming from. He heard something crack behind him and turned, but he definitely did not expect what happened next.

A huge crack tore through the wall before suddenly the stone burst apart, a large hole opening up in the wall. Dust flew up, causing the Pirate Captain and the others inside to cough as the dust flew past. Stone bricks fell to the floor as the dust settled, revealing three figures standing in the wall.

"Oh, wow, we actually found them on the first try!" a young yet large and heavyset woman spoke first, standing on the right as she looked around the room.

"Of course we did. I told you I have good senses, didn't I? What do you say, Kai?" a young man with dark hair and a scar across the bridge of his nose chimed in, standing in the center of the three. He turned towards the last man on the left – a dark-skinned Tiger Shark Fishman with black, unruly hair.

"Hn," he grunted, offering little to the discussion. Spotting Ushitora and the little girl in his grasp, his eyes narrowed. Raising his hand, he caught some of the rain from outside in his palm. Then, whilst everyone in the room was still distracted, he swung his arm.

Ushitora let out a cry of pain as a bullet of water smacked against his arm with the force of a shotgun, knocking the pistol out of his hand as blood dripped down the limb. As his grip slackened, Madoka quickly squirmed out of his grip and dropped to the floor before springing forwards, jumping towards the trio standing where the wall used to be.

"Hey!" Onigawara yelled out as he raced across the room, his teeth grit. "How dare you harm the Cap-".

Before the First Mate could say another word, Alyona's fist snapped out and slammed into his face with such force that his nose cracked, breaking as blood began to stream down his face. But more than that, the man was flung backwards from her sheer strength and crashed through the desk, breaking it in two. Clutching his arm tightly as he stared down the trio, Ushitora snarled.

"Who the hell are you?!"

The young man in the middle smirked, reaching into his cloak and beginning to draw a sword. Holding a broadsword out, he pointed the tip towards the Pirate Captain, smiling.

"I'm Captain Baldric and _we,_" he began, gesturing to the other two with his spare hand. "Are the Knightfall Pirates!"

* * *

**Author: Well, looks like the gang's united and ready to take down Ushitora! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. I have to admit, some of the stuff I planned for this story arc has actually changed a fair bit from when I planned it out, but I think this is working out a lot better. I certainly hope anyone reading this enjoyed it!**

If you've got a critique to give, or even if you just wanna tell me what you think of the story, please, by all means, send a review! They're always much appreciated.

**I might not update next week depending on how busy I am with college, but I'll definitely post the week after. Until then, see ya!**


	6. Fight, Knightfall Pirates!

Ushitora grit his teeth as he stared down the trio standing in the opening of the wall, along with the hostage who'd escaped him. His hand was still bleeding from the hit he'd taken from the Fishman, but as he clenched and relaxed it he found it was still useable. He didn't take his eyes off any one of them as he reached up and gripped the handle of his iron club. Slowly, he began to put on a smirk, chuckling mirthfully.

"The Knightfall Pirates, huh? How cute…" he remarked, lifting the club up before resting it upon his shoulder, still clutching the handle firmly. "I'll admit, you've caught me off guard… But only because I've never heard of you".

"It happens," the young man with dark hair remarked, smiling. "We only joined forced five minutes ago, anyway".

Ushitora let out a hearty laugh. Even his subordinates couldn't help but laugh away, whilst the hostages looked between one another with concern. The young girl, meanwhile, stared up at the dark-haired young man with a dropped jaw.

"Are you serious?!" Madoka asked, incredulous.

"Yeah, I think it was five minutes. It didn't take us long to get here, did it?" Baldric asked, turning to the Fishman. Kai merely grunted in response.

"Oh, I haven't laughed like that in a good, long while, boy…" Ushitora spoke, still chuckling as he stepped forwards. "But I'm not a nice guy… No matter how much you make me laugh, I'm still going to kill you".

From the wreckage of the desk, his First Mate pulled himself up. His head was bleeding, but Onigawara nevertheless looked ready to fight, his steely gaze resting upon the fat woman who'd struck him earlier. He clenched his gauntlet-clad fists, raising them up in front of himself as he stepped forwards once more.

The other members of Ushitora's pirate crew likewise raised their weapons, closing in around the group of three. Baldric watched them all circling around, ready to begin fighting again. Through it all, his smirk never left his face. He clutched his broadsword firmly in his two hands, taking a single step forwards as he did so.

"Don't worry," Baldric responded. "I'll be the one to kill _you_".

At those words the fighting began again. Ushitora pushed the club off of his shoulder, raising it again only to swing downwards, attempting to bludgeon Baldric into the ground. The dark-haired young man quickly dodged to the right, avoiding the club as it struck the earth and cracked the floor, causing stone to shift upwards around where it landed.

At the same time, Onigawara quickly dashed towards the round woman, who stepped forwards to intercept him. He swung a fist for her face, but Alyona deflected it to the side before throwing her own punch that just narrowly missed his side.

The Fishman, Kai, decided that his enemy was everyone else in the room. He watched as one Pirate rushed him with a sword in hand raised above his head, screaming as he ran towards him. Kai drew his webbed hand back, catching a drop of rainwater in his palm from outside.

"**Uchimizu!**" he declared, swinging his hand forwards and firing the drop of water with such force that it smashed into the Pirate's chest with the force of a Shotgun, taking him off his feet and opening up a bloody wound in his chest. The Pirate cried out as he hit the floor, spurring on the others to rush to avenge him.

The Fishman dodged as one pirate began firing at him with a rifle. In an attempt to avoid the rifle fire he swerved in and around the pirate's allies as they tried to hit him, forcing the gunner to stop firing for fear of hitting his comrades. One of the group moved to stab the Fishman through the chest but Kai deftly sidestepped the sword, clenching his fist tightly.

"**Hyakumaigawara Seiken!**" he roared, his fist slamming hard into the pirate's stomach. The man cried out from pain as he was suddenly thrown off of his feet, flying through the air before crashing into the rifle-wielding pirate as he was caught off guard. The two pirates hit the floor with incredible force, both knocked unconscious by the blow. The other pirates stared in shock, stepping back as they looked at the Fishman.

"The hell is he? He looks like he's been in a fight before he even came here, but he's taking us down one by one!" one of the pirates exclaimed, shaking a little as he clutched his sword. Kai stared back over his shoulder at him, causing the pirate to shrink back ever so slightly.

Meanwhile, Alyona continued to face off against the First Mate, blocking and deflecting each of his punches as he continued his relentless attack. Onigawara grinned as he forced her on the defensive, continuing to attack without pause to let her catch her breath.

"I won't forgive you for that punch, earlier," Onigawara remarked as he swung a right hook for Alyona's face, which she quickly blocked. "Embarrassing me in front of the crew like that… You'll regret it soon enough!".

Onigawara quickly pressed forwards as he threw a straight punch with his left fist, which Alyona quickly moved to block. However, in that instant he stopped his fist, pulling a feint as he swung upwards with his right fist, striking the young woman with a powerful uppercut to the jaw. Alyona's head reeled back as she stumbled back a single step, but contrary to Onigawara's expectations she stayed on her feet, her head lowering back down as blood now dripped from the corner of her mouth. She gave a confident smirk as she looked back at the tall man, who was clearly shocked.

"I'll regret… What?" she asked, taunting him. Onigawara grit his teeth and clenched his fists tighter. Letting out an angry roar he charged the large woman once more, swinging a powerful haymaker right for Alyona's face. But despite the power he put behind his punch, Alyona stopped it cold by catching it in her hand, her fingers curling around his fist.

Onigawara stared as Alyona suddenly began to change. Her body became larger and larger as she reached a height of seven feet, her form becoming covered in a coat of brown fur. Her nails became sharp claws on the ends of her fingers, whilst her nose elongated into a snout with a black tip. Her black clothes stretched around her larger frame as her arms became more muscular. Her ears became more rounded, moving closer to the top of her head. Onigawara tried to pull himself away, but her claw's grip refused to let him go.

"Wh-What… What are you?!" Onigawara dared to ask, staring up at the half-bear half-human being. Alyona stared down, her smirk from earlier having left her face.

"Isn't it obvious?" Alyona questioned him, raising her other claw. Onigawara stared at it, now desperately trying to pull free from her grip. Alyona simply tightened her grip. "I'm a _monster_".

Alyona swung her sharp claw, tearing through Onigawara's flesh like a hot knife through butter. The man let out a pained cry as blood sprayed on the ground, his chest covered in huge gashes as Alyona let go of him, allowing him to collapse and hit the ground. The man's eyes were open, but it was clear he'd lost consciousness from the pain. Staring down upon him, Alyona sighed, her form slowly changing back as she shrunk down to her original height, her body losing the excess fur and her facial features returning to their original shape.

"Well, at least that's one less problem," Alyona spoke aloud to herself before turning her head. Kai had already torn his way through the rest of the pirates, leaving them all bloody or unconscious on the floor. Turning again, Alyona looked towards the two Captains as they were locked in combat.

Alyona had never seen Baldric in combat before, but he moved like an experienced veteran. He ducked and dodged Ushitora's club with incredible ease, almost like he was dancing circles around his opponent. Ushitora growled as he swept his club around in a circle, just narrowly avoiding Baldric again as the dark-haired youth ducked below the club.

"What's wrong?" Baldric asked, bemused. "I _thought _you were going to kill me".

Ushitora let out a frustrated howl as he now swung vertically, smashing the club into the spot Baldric had been standing. Unfortunately for him, Baldric had quickly jumped to the left, his blade swinging in at the Pirate Captain. Ushitora narrowly avoided the tip of Baldric's broad sword before swinging his club again horizontally. Baldric pretended to yawn as he ducked again, letting the club pass harmlessly overhead.

"Stay still!" Ushitora roared, but the dark-haired youth rolled his eyes.

"Well, if you say so, _Captain_," he taunted, standing upright. Ushitora grinned swinging down again as he attempted to smash Baldric beneath his club. But to his astonishment, Baldric raised his arm over his head. As the club came down, Baldric's arm began to turn darker, nearing pitch black as the club struck the palm of his hand. But rather than buckle beneath the iron club, Baldric managed to stop the club with a little effort, halting it in its path. Ushitora stared, dumbstruck as Baldric grinned, his other arm still clutching the hilt of his sword tightly.

Letting out a yell, Baldric swiped upwards with his broadsword, once more astonishing Ushitora as he cleanly cleaved through the club, tearing the club from the handle and letting it fall to the floor beside him. Ushitora stumbled back in shock at the sight of his destroyed club, giving the dark-haired youth enough time to raise his sword, pointing the tip against Ushitora's throat.

The whole room fell silent at the sight of it. Ushitora stared down at the blade pressed against his throat. He looked up just to see Baldric's cool gaze – that confident smirk and those self-assured eyes. Ushitora felt himself shake with anger, but at the same time he felt powerless with this sword against his throat.

"Wow…" Madoka spoke from the sidelines, watching the battle before her. She hadn't been sure of the three pirates, but right now they were proving just how powerful they could be. The pirate crew, the First Mate, and now even Captain Ushitora himself was being made a fool of. The young girl couldn't help but wonder just who these people were. It wasn't every day she saw people capable of things like _this._

"Unfortunate, isn't it?" Baldric asked, smirking still. "You went through all that hard work to capture this island and in the end, you get taken down because I just _happened _to come here".

Ushitora said nothing, his eyes burning with anger as he grit his teeth.

"Well? You know how it is, _Captain._ I won, so _kneel,_" the scarred young man commanded. Ushitora clenched his fist, livid.

"Kneel? Before you?!" Ushitora retorted, seething. But the blade pressed harder against his throat, drawing a sliver of blood.

"The loser doesn't get to make demands, _Captain_. Who knows? Maybe if you kneel, I'll let you live".

"Baldric!" Alyona interjected, catching the attention of her Captain. "You don't have to do this. He's already beaten-".

Baldric's attention was taken for only an instant, but it was all Ushitora needed. From the pocket of his coat the Pirate Captain pulled out a smoke bomb, covering the area in a smokescreen as he threw it to the floor. Baldric raised his hand over his mouth as he started coughing, along with the others. He felt a strong force knock him off his feet and send him to the ground before the smokescreen began to fade. By the time it was gone, so was Ushitora.

Baldric sat up, looking around desperately for any sign that Ushitora was simply hiding. He pushed himself up onto his feet as he continued to look around, but he soon realized that Ushitora was no longer in the building.

"Well, _fuck_," Baldric remarked, sheathing his sword back in its scabbard. He could hear Alyona and Kai both sighing behind him. Turning towards the both of them with a frown, he spoke. "Okay, new rule, no distracting the Cap-".

"It was your own fault, boy," a voice spoke up. Cut off mid-sentence, Baldric turned to see the old woman walking towards them with her cane, using a handkerchief to wipe away the blood from her face.

"Obaa-san!" Madoka cried, running to her grandmother and wrapping her arms around the old woman's waist. The old woman put her handkerchief away and patted the young girl on the head before looking back to the dark-haired youth again.

"You should be prepared for anything on these seas, boy. No one's going to care for excuses," Sakura spoke. Baldric tried to retort, but found he couldn't come up with anything. So instead, he sulked.

"Hey, all of the hostages are gone…" Alyona remarked, seeing a pile of rope in the middle of the room that had been cut.

"You can thank me for it later," Sakura remarked, her cane clacking against the ground to emphasize her point. "Right now, we've got a Pirate to chase".

* * *

Ushitora rushed like the wind, running as fast as his legs could take him. Those pirates were far too strong, and worst of all he now no longer had the girl as a hostage to keep the old woman away. As much as he hated to admit it, it was a complete and total failure.

With his head-start, he was already halfway down the slope of the island. He could see his ship in the bay, where the rest of his crew still were. Including, of course, the ship's gunner.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a Baby Den Den Mushi, deciding that he was definitely not going to just let them have their way. He refused to be embarrassed like this. Holding up the Baby Den Den Mushi, he began to speak.

"Kanabo!" he yelled into the receiver. "There's been a change of plans. We're going to blow this island sky-high. Start the bombing, and aim for the Marine Base _first_".

The little snail made a grinning expression as it began to speak in a deep voice.

"Aye aye, Captain Ushitora!"

* * *

The group of five jumped out of the large opening in the wall, landing on the rain-soaked path below. Taking the lead was Baldric, with Kai and Alyona following his lead. At the back, meanwhile, was Sakura, who in spite of her condition nevertheless chose to carry Madoka on her back as she raced along behind the youths.

"I can see their ship in the bay!" Madoka yelled out from the back.

"Thanks for the tip, Captain Obvious!" Baldric retorted, clearly still annoyed as he raced with slightly more fervor than the others.

"Don't test my patience, boy," Sakura spoke up, still clutching her cane in her hand. "Or Ushitora might not be the only Pirate Captain who gets slain tonight".

"Hey, can't we just calm down?" Alyona remarked. "We'll catch him, no worries!"

Kai remained silent.

The group of five rushed down the slope, taking the most direct path to the bay possible. If they were lucky, they could catch up with the pirate before he managed to even get back to his ship. Or so they thought. But the group of five were so sure of themselves that they'd forgotten about one other thing – the _cannon_.

Kai's eyes strayed upwards, spotting a bright light moving through the dark skies. He immediately recognized it for what it was.

"Move!" he yelled out to the rest of the group. But already, the attack had begun. From behind them came a powerful gust of wind. Debris was thrown through the street and the group had to duck and dodge the debris as it was flung at them. They all turned back, but the sight was not a pleasant one.

The building they had just left was now a burning wreck, the stone architecture collapsed and caved in. The Marine Base had fallen, completely destroyed by the power of the cannon. Just like the other half of the Marine Base had been earlier. Everyone stared, wide-eyed, but Baldric was quick to speak.

"Move, move, move!" he urged the group on as he turned and ran. Agreeing with his line of logic the Knightfall Pirates, Sakura and Madoka raced down the slope, knowing that if they didn't keep moving, they would be next.

* * *

**Author: We're nearing the end of the arc! Just one more chapter should do it! So, what did you think? Did you like it? Did you not like it? Please, be sure to tell me what you think! :)**

**Also, for those wondering...**

**Uchimizu - Water Shot.**

**Hyakumaigawara Seiken - Hundred Tile True Fist.**


	7. The Dawn Has Come

Ushitora chuckled as he rowed his boat through the water, looking up towards the destroyed Marine base at the top of the island. The burning wreckage of the last attack brought a smirk to his face as he thought of the Marines and those Pirates who'd beaten his men.

Pretty soon, the whole island would be the same as the Marine base – ashes and dust. Those Pirates might have been strong, but even they would not be able to survive the island's destruction.

"Hey, Captain!"

Ushitora looked back towards his ship, watching as his men cast down a rope ladder for him to climb back aboard. Smirking, he stood up in the rowboat and grasped the rope ladder, steadily climbing up.

Still, the thought that a kid had managed to not only stop, but slice his club in two... He couldn't help but wonder what the hell he was. There was no way an ordinary person could be that strong. He must have been a Devil Fruit user, Ushitora told himself.

He continued to climb, pulling himself over the railing of his ship. It was unfortunate that the island they were going to claim as a base would fall, but they would find another place in West Blue to make their fortress. After all, there were plenty of islands to choose from.

* * *

"Keep running!" Alyona called out, continuing to race as fast as she could. She found herself beginning to fall behind, her heavy form unused to such strenuous sprinting.

They were taking the most direct route to the bay as possible, heading directly down the slope. They were racing as fast as they could, yet it was all they could do to keep ahead of what lay behind.

They could hear the screeching of the burning bullet passing through the air before crashing into the earth behind them. A gust of wind blew out from behind them as flames spread outwards. Burning wreckage and debris fell as civilians across the island screamed loudly over the booming explosion.

The large woman let out a gasp as she felt a rock slam into her shoulder, causing her to almost stumble over as she continued running forwards. She clutched her shoulder tightly, her pace slowing as she began to fall behind the others even more. Baldric glanced back, frowning.

"Alyona!" he barked, expecting it to somehow motivate her to speed up. Kai, the Fishman, glanced back for a brief moment. He stopped for only a split second.

Alyona suddenly felt a webbed hand clasp tightly around her wrist, yanking her forwards as she suddenly found herself running again. She looked up to see Kai practically dragging her along, continuing to look forwards. Alyona opened her mouth to speak, but then shut it as she resumed focusing on running.

Baldric frowned as he watched the ship in the bay fire up another bullet of flame into the sky. How many shots did they have? How quickly were they loading the gun? How much time was passing? A few seconds? Or a few minutes? The dark-haired youth continued rushing as fast as his feet could carry him, taking lead of the group of five.

"_How much time do we have?" _he wondered to himself, his face devoid of any smile or smirk as it usually would. He could see the bright light arcing upwards in the sky. Soon it would fall, and they needed to stay ahead of it if they wanted to survive. One direct hit and it was over.

"Obaa-san!" Madoka cried out from behind. Baldric turned his gaze back, seeing that the old woman – Sakura – was beginning to slow down, falling behind. He cursed. She was old, of course – she may have been incredibly skilled, but she probably didn't have the same stamina she once had. At this rate, even with the downhill slope making things easier, it might be too much.

Madoka jumped down from her grandmother's back, taking the old woman's hand and running ahead with her. Briefly Sakura began to speed up, but even Baldric knew that the weight of Madoka off of her shoulders would only afford her an extra few minutes of speed. Even he could feel the fatigue creeping in. But he had to keep moving forwards. If he didn't, there would be no way for them to survive.

But at the same time, they couldn't have too far more to run. The bay was coming ever closer within their sight. They could make it! He steeled himself, mustering whatever strength he still had to continue running.

But he could feel the heat from up above. He stared up, seeing the flaming bullet coming down. Baldric grit his teeth. No! It couldn't end this way! Not yet! Not now! He glanced back at the rest of his ragtag group, his eyes glimmering with desperation.

"Run for it!" he ordered them mere moments before the impact. Only a few feet behind them the bullet crashed, upturning the earth and burning away the buildings to either side. The collision with the ground sent out a shockwave, blowing the entire group forwards – along with the stone and wood and metal of the buildings.

Baldric felt himself flip through the air, crashing against the ground and skipping against it like a stone across the surface of water. He caught sight of Sakura clutching her granddaughter against her chest, taking the impact of the shockwave for her daughter, along with the impact against the earth. Both Alyona and Kai were thrown against the floor, although a piece of metal had lodged itself in Kai's right shoulder.

Baldric groaned as he began to slowly push himself up, watching as droplets of blood hit the ground. He felt sore, but nevertheless willed himself to get up. As he rose he caught sight of the inferno they had just narrowly avoided, a great flame rising into the sky. But as he turned, Baldric saw the open waters behind him and the pirate ship that sat in the bay.

"We're here..." he spoke, taking deep breaths as he pushed against the ground. Shakily he rose to his feet, but eventually he found himself managing to regain his balance. In the water, just by the docks were almost a dozen rowboats. All large enough to fit half a dozen people.

"Obaa-san! Obaa-san!" the young girl called out. Baldric turned, seeing the old woman lying on the ground. She was breathing deep breaths whilst her grandchild knelt by her side. Just to the left of the two, Alyona and Kai were slowly helping one another up. Baldric looked back to the bay, continuing to frown.

"_This is bad. We're not exactly in the best of shape after that last hit, and even if we grab one of those rowboats, we might get blasted out of the ocean by a cannon!" _he thought to himself, his brows furrowing.

"We're so close..." Baldric remarked to himself, pushing himself to think of something.

"What's wrong...? Not... Not scared, are you?" a voice spoke behind him. Baldric turned, looking back towards the old woman, Sakura, with astonishment. Despite her injuries and pain, the old woman stubbornly pushed herself up whist her grandchild stared with concern.

"Please, just rest!" Madoka pleaded, but the silver-haired woman shook her head, pushing herself up with her wooden cane to maintain her own balance.

"I can rest... When I'm dead. Until then, I ain't quittin'... I ain't lyin' down," the old woman spoke, a smirk on her wrinkled face.

"With those injuries...?" Baldric questioned, remaining skeptical. The old woman laughed, spitting some blood off to the side as she stepped towards the docks slowly, her cane clacking along as she walked.

"I'm 'One-Stroke'... Sasaki Sakura, remember? I've been through... far worse than this!" she told him as she boldly walked towards the edge, where the rowboats sat in the docks. Baldric stared, incredulous – what did she intend to do? Did she really think they'd stand a chance in these circumstances just approaching like that?

"Get in the boat," a deeper male voice spoke. Baldric turned, finding himself staring at the Fishman, Kai. He hadn't pulled the metal piece from his shoulder, but in spite of his injuries he still stood strongly, refusing to lie down. Alyona walked past at the same time, heading to the rowboat before Baldric. The dark-haired youth was about to interject, but the Fishman held up his hand to cut him off. "_I'll _handle it".

* * *

Captain Ushitora sighed as he leaned back in a chair that was placed on the deck of the ship like a throne. He possessed no injuries that needed treatment, but after all he'd gone through so far, he felt a need to sit down and relax for a few minutes.

Sweat rolled down his brow as he thought of how that fight had gone. How close he'd been to being killed. If that young man hadn't chosen to stroke his own ego and create an opening...

He refused to think about it.

It didn't matter that he almost died, he told himself. It didn't matter how much danger he had just escaped from, he told himself. They were going to be dead, if they weren't already from the bombing. He looked towards his mad gunner, who grinned from ear to ear as he sat up behind the 'Giant Killer', taking aim with the oversized cannon.

He could rely on Kanabo. Maybe his First Mate had failed, but Kanabo was something else behind that cannon of his. He could rest assured, nothing was going to-

"Captain Ushitora!" one of the crew yelled out. "One of our rowboats is returning to the ship, but it hasn't got any of our men on it!"

The Pirate Captain walked across the deck, his lips curved into a frown. Arriving at the railing he looked out, immediately spotting a rowboat containing four people – a little girl, an old woman, a fat woman and a young man in a cloak. Ushitora grit his teeth. It was _them_.

He stared at the group in the water, seething. How had they escaped Kanabo's cannon? How had they managed to survive for so long? He watched as they rowed out towards the ship. But in spite of the threat they posed, Ushitora couldn't help but laugh. He grinned maliciously as his hand slammed down on the railing, gripping the wood tightly enough to crack it.

"This is good, this is good..." he repeated to himself. "Men, get to the cannons! Blast them all out of the water!".

* * *

"_They're in position..." _Kai thought to himself as he floated in the spot underwater, staring up at the shadow of the boat above him. All around him he could feel the ocean moving and swaying as the currents pulled. But Kai remained in his spot, focused on his target.

It was a strange situation, he understood. He'd spent all of his day fighting relentlessly against the Marines – against the _Humans._ He'd fought tooth and nailtearing through their ranks in a mad frenzy, hoping to cause as much damage as possible. He'd threatened these people, making it clear that he was ready to kill any one of them.

And now, he was going to save them.

It wasn't out of compassion, he told himself. It wasn't because he _wanted _them to be different, he told himself. This was just keeping up his end of the deal, he told himself. Because after tonight, they'd have to keep up _theirs._

"**Fishman Jujutsu: Mizugokoro**," he spoke, holding out his hands and cupping them over one another. Between his hands he caught a current of water and began to pull, twisting and shaping the liquid like it was cloth. He pulled and turned, giving shape and form to the water around him before his eyes rose up, staring at the boat. Then, over his shoulder, he _threw_ it.

"**Kairyuu Ipponzeoi**!" he yelled, watching as the water shot upwards like a cannon. The torrent continued to rise and rise, aiming directly for the rowboat above. But as the current of water rose, Kai found himself beginning to drift and fade. He cursed his own fatigue and his own injuries, finding himself slowly beginning to black out.

"_This... Should be enough"._

* * *

"Fire! Fire! Fire!" Ushitora screamed, just before the cannons roared. At least a half a dozen explosive burst went off as cannonballs shot through the air, directly towards the rowboat.

At this distance he could still see the group that had dared to confront him before as they found themselves looking around, as if in panic. Ushitora laughed, watching as they struggled. He laughed, feeling so certain of victory.

But very soon, that laughter stopped.

From beneath the rowboat rose a torrent of water – like a pillar stretching into the sky, it rose and rose, pushing against the bottom of the rowboat. He stared in awe as the rowboat shot through the air upon the stream of water, watching as it rose. He stepped back one or two steps, unable to simply let it leave his sight.

But soon, he realized, that all things that went up must also come down. The rowboat and the torrent of water it rose on was now curving downwards, heading straight for the deck of their ship. Ushitora gaped in shock, barely able to think straight as he watched it happen before his eyes. Only at the last moment was he able to find his voice.

"GET DOWN!"

The rowboat crashed against the deck, but more importantly than that so had the torrent of water. It splashed against the wooden boards before flowing outwards, the splashing water carrying enough force to knock one or two men off the side of the ship. Kanabo found himself forced out of the seat of the 'Giant Killer', crashing against the deck whilst Ushitora stood his ground, clutching the railing. As soon as the water washed over the sides he relaxed, nearly slumping to the floor. But his eyes now turned to the rowboat on the deck, his jaw dropping.

"You think he could give us a warning next time?!" the young man spoke.

"I think I'm going to be sick..." a young girl interjected.

"Over the side, over the side!" the plump young woman spoke, urging the little girl to keep away. The girl's grandmother said nothing but rose slowly, keeping firm grip of her cane to keep balance.

They were _here_.

"_Kill them!_" Ushitora screamed furiously, his finger pointing directly towards the group of four. His men almost immediately recovered from the shock of the sight, draiwing their guns and blades.

But then, the Knightfall Pirates were ready for them.

Sasaki Sakura drew her cane-sword, moving with incredible speed as she weaved in and out of her attackers, her blade passing through them like a hot knife through butter. Blood hit the floor before their bodies did, each one of her enemies falling to her blade.

Alyona stood her ground, punching and throwing aside anyone who came close. Her sheer, physical might overcame any opponent who dared to attack as she ploughed through them like a ferocious beast.

"Die!" roared the fat gunner, Kanabo, as he raised his bazooka. He took aim at the old woman, his finger curling around the trigger. But the moment he fired the old woman seemed to speed up, her arm moving like a blur as her cane sword bisected the cannonball aimed right for her, letting it divide and shoot by either side of her, hitting only the pirates who dared to try and flank her from behind.

The fat gunner immediately reached for another cannonball to load his bazooka, but it was too late. In a second Sakura had closed the distance, her blade slashing through his throat. The fat man stumbled backwards and collapsed through the railing, falling to the sea below with a loud crash. Flicking her arm, the old woman removed the blood from the blade as she turned to face the other pirates, who now looked upon her with incredible terror.

The little girl, Madoka, found herself letting out a scream as a pirate attempted to grab her. But before he got his chance to take hold of her, he in turn found himself lifted off his feet and held over the head of the larger woman, Alyona.

Turning, the heavy-set chef swung the man like he was a weapon, throwing him into his comrades and sending the group crashing against the floorboards. Madoka looked up to her saviour, watching as Alyona flashed her a small smile. In return, Madoka smiled back as thanks.

Baldric, meanwhile, seemed strangely calm amidst the chaos of the battlefield. Bullets flew around him, but he seemed to always be positioning himself in just the right spot to avoid attack. He'd draw his broadsword in an incredibly casual manner and then cleave through someone who ran to challenge him. His opponents dropped behind him as he kept his eyes on Ushitora, his expression once more becoming a smirk.

Ushitora grit his teeth, stepping back as Baldric stepped closer. He could feel sweat dripping down his brow. Was this fear? Was he scared? Scared of this young _boy_ who'd shown up out of nowhere? The large, muscular man snarled in anger. No! No! He refused to cower before this child!

"Raaagh!" he roared, reaching into his pocket. From his pocket he drew a pistol, raising it towards the young man. His finger quickly curled around the trigger in an almost instantaneous movement, firing relentlessly at his target.

"I am Captain Ushitora!" he fired at his target, watching as Baldric almost effortlessly twisted to the side. He fired again, watching as the young man now stepped to the other side to avoid his fire. "I am the Captain of the Iron Club Pirates! I refuse to die! I-!"

In one swift movement Baldric ducked below his final shot, the pistol now aimed just above his head. With one swing of his broadsword he not only knocked the firearm from Ushitora's hand but sliced the barrel in two, letting the pieces of metal fly through the air. In astonishment the Pirate Captain stepped back. In the same moment, Baldric stepped forwards and swung once more.

Blood erupted like a fountain from the wound carved in Ushitora's flesh, splashing against the wooden boards. Thrown off his balance the large man fell back, his heavy frame collapsing and breaking through the railing behind him. As blood escape the large vertical gash in his body, his last sight before he lost consciousness was the surface of the water breaking beneath him.

Looking over the edge of the deck from up above, Baldric watched as the spot where Ushitora crashed against the water rippled before eventually calming again. He rose his sword above his head before resting the flat of the blade against his shoulder, smirking.

"I win, _Captain_".

* * *

The night had passed and the sun was rising on the horizon as the dark-haired youth let out a sigh. He leaned against a wall of the ship, staring out at the sunrise with a smile on his face. The ship of the Iron Club Pirates had now been commandeered and its crew tossed overboard.

Now, the ship had a new crew – a crew of only a few, but a crew unlike many others. In that small crew was an elderly swordswoman with skill and strength far beyond that of a normal human – the elderly swordswoman's grandchild, a chef who could take on the form of a ferocious beast-

"Okay, just a little more and he'll be on the deck!"

-and a Fishman who could pull and shape the water around him. Baldric turned his head to watch Alyona and Sakura pull on the rope, dragging the exhausted Tiger-Shark Fishman onto the deck. The lean, muscular Fishman lay sprawled across the deck, his chest heaving up and down – not unlike the other two who had pulled him up. Baldric couldn't help but chuckle.

"Hey, what's so funny?" the young girl spoke, pouting as she looked towards the young man. "You didn't even help!".

"Captain, remember?" Baldric teased, sticking out his tongue to the young girl. Madoka pouted even more.

"Not fair!"

"There'll be plenty of time to deal with the boy later, Madoka..." the silver-haired woman spoke, sitting down on the deck as she kept a firm grip of her cane. "But for now, we should rest. It has been far too long a night".

Letting out a chuckle, Baldric couldn't help but agree. He cast a brief glance back to the sunrise, looking out at the sea it illuminated and the island silhouetted by it's light.

The road would be tough ahead, he knew, but he understood the risks ahead. That was why he had come so far out to make a crew. With what he'd seen last night, he knew he didn't have to worry.

The Knightfall Pirates were ready to set sail.

* * *

**Author: Finally, the Orsus Island Arc is over! It was fun, but I'm happy to finally get this arc over with. We've introduced the characters, so now we can get to see them really interact as a crew! I hope you enjoyed the arc. But whatever your feelings, be sure to let me know what you think :)**


	8. Clean Up

The sun shone high above, casting its rays down upon the blue sea to create a shimmering reflection. The wind blew strongly eastwards, pushing a huge galleon through the water. The sails were hoisted high, and atop the central mast flew a black flag.

The Jolly Roger was a skull that sat in front of a white crescent, with a sword crossed perpendicular to the middle of the crescent's curve, putting it diagonally behind the skull. It flew freely, flapping in the wind. From down on the deck, the young Pirate Captain looked upon it with a satisfied smirk.

He wore grey trousers with knee-high brown boots and a white shirt buttoned up at the front. A red sash wrapped around his waist, binding a longsword and its scabbard to his side. Over this layer of clothing he wore a black Captain's coat with the sleeves rolled up to his elbow, whilst his hands were clad in fingerless black gloves. To finish the outfit, a black tricorne sat atop the dark-haired young man's head.

Truly, he was the image of a Pirate Captain. And he was proud to know it.

"This'll do _perfectly_," he remarked aloud to himself, smirking still. He turned, looking around the deck at his small group of 'crewmates'.

Sitting over by the railing was the Tiger Shark Fishman, Kai. He wore grey, knee-length shorts with a blue sash around his waist and a dark-blue and black aloha shirt over his upper body, worn open at the front. Around his neck hung a sharktooth pendant – the Pirate Captain, of course, was half-tempted to ask if it was actually one of his own.

Up at the helm was 'One-Stroke' Sasaki Sakura. The old, silver-haired woman was a tough one – rather than rest her injuries from the night before, she forced herself to put up with the pain and took to the helm. Her outfit consisted now of grey trousers tucked into brown, knee-high boots, a white, buttoned-up shirt and her blue jacket worn over it, open at the front. In her free right hand she clutched her cane by the handle.

Beside her was the grandchild, Madoka. Baldric had never really intended to take a little kid onto the ship, but he supposed he wasn't going to just leave her behind, either. She was currently engaged in trying to encourage her grandmother to lie down and rest, but the old woman seemed far more intent on steering the ship than listening.

Madoka's clothing had been replaced, though from what he'd been told they had to cut and modify the clothing of the old crew to fit her smaller frame. She wore baggy, knee-length grey shorts along with a white, sleeveless top and grey, fingerless gloves that extended down most of her forearms. Her platinum blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail, helping to keep it out of her face.

"I've got breakfast!" another, female voice called out. Baldric smirked as he now turned towards the now-open door that led inside the ship, where the crew's Chef, Alyona Medvedeva (as he had learned) now stood with several plates and bowls.

Alyona, unfortunately, suffered the exact opposite problem of Madoka – being such a big girl, few of the clothes left on the ship by the original crew actually fit her. She wore grey trousers, by they seemed far tighter around her figure and cut off halfway down the calves. Likewise, although her white shirt was buttoned up, it was only covering her chest – and straining to do even that – exposing her round belly. Or at least, it would have, if not for the white chef's apron she wore over her clothes.

"I wasn't sure what everyone liked, so I made some steamed white rice and miso soup. I hope that's okay," Alyona told everyone, smiling a bit.

"Oh, perfect! I'm starving!" Madoka called out, running down to fetch her breakfast from the larger woman. As soon as she took her plates and bowls she gave a curt bow before running back up to join her grandmother at the helm again. Alyona watched her sit down next to her grandmother before turning back to Baldric, smiling.

"Remind me to pack my bags next time I decide to run off and join a pirate crew. Can we stop at an island and get some clothes?" Alyona asked, raising a brow. Baldric nodded, taking his breakfast from the young woman.

"Truth be told, I've already got a destination in mind," Baldric remarked, smirking to himself as he turned his head towards the Navigator at the helm. "Hey! You know where Tortue is, right?".

"Tortue?" the old woman responded. "Of course I know where it is. Any pirate in West Blue would".

"Good," Badric spoke as he began to step past Alyona, heading inside the ship. "Because I'm planning to meet someone there. We can get supplies while we're there".

Alyona stepped out and let the door shut behind her. She looked towards the door as it closed. Or more specifically, she watched where Baldric had just passed, no doubt off to the Captain's quarters.

Baldric was certainly odd – he was charismatic, but he was also very secretive. He spoke a lot, but rarely about himself. It made her wonder.

At least, it did for a moment. As she turned, Alyona looked over to the last member of the Knightfall Pirates – if he could really be defined as a member.

Kai was in a… Strange place, she knew. Ever since he bandaged up his own wounds, he'd refused to talk to anyone aboard the ship. She knew that the only reason he'd even helped last night was because he made a deal with Baldric – that in exchange for that night's work, he'd be allowed to sail with them across the seas.

She couldn't help but wonder if he was looking for something, but at the same time it was clear he was not going to explain what.

Alyona looked down at the breakfast she'd made for him. She wondered what the delicacies of his homeland were like. She looked back to him. He had his eyes shut, but he didn't seem like he was sleeping.

"Um… Kai?" she spoke, stepping towards the Fishman. The Fishman's head rose a little, one eye opening and peering past the black strands of hair that fell about his face. "I've got your breakfast".

The Fishman eyed the meal she held out for him, but he didn't reach for it. Rather, his expression appeared more suspicious than anything, as if he was expecting the meal to be poisoned. Closing the eye he'd opened Kai shook his head.

"Not interested".

Alyona stared, her mouth opening before shutting again, much like a fish. Biting her lower lip, she pulled her arm back a bit, looking down at the food.

"Forget about it, child. I've seen boys like him before," the old woman spoke up once again. Alyona looked over, confused. Kai, similarly, turned his head towards the old woman, staring with a mixture of confusion and annoyance. The old woman simply ignored the glare she received and continued. "Pirates aren't exactly the most trustworthy… You've been siding with Baldric a lot since the beginning".

"So what if I am?" Alyona responded, indignant. "Does that make me untrustworthy?"

"Not you," Sakura remarked as she looked out across the sea, her expression grim. "Baldric".

* * *

Marine Captain Tristan sighed as he looked up at the destroyed remains of the Marine Base. Last night had not only been hectic, but a complete _failure_ on the part of the Marines.

Between the Fishman and the Iron Club Pirates, everything had gone to hell that night. The entirety of the main street had been blown to bits, from the top of the island leading down to the docks. It was only sheer fortune that the hostages had escaped with their lives and that none of the housing district had been hit by cannonfire.

But perhaps the most insulting thing about the whole ordeal was the fact that, in the end, they were saved by _pirates._

The witnesses had given him the full story, though he felt reluctant to believe it. It just seemed so bizarre.

Apparently, after being taken to the Marine Base, and old woman with a cane sword came and butchered half of the pirates in the base. After she was incapacitated due to one of the hostages being her grandchild or something, three more showed up – a brown-haired woman by the name of Alyona Medvedeva who had been working at a small restaurant for the last two months and had only come to the island a short time before getting the job, the Fishman who had run amok earlier in the day who had apparently been named Kai and a mysterious, dark-haired individual with a scar across his nose who went by the name of Baldric.

It didn't take long for Captain Tristan to put two and two together and realize the kid was the one he'd met in the restaurant earlier that night. But that arguably made it _worse_, knowing that he was saved by such a cocky punk.

Tristan sighed, only to groan as he felt another pang of pain through his side. His wounds still felt bad, even if he had been patched up by some of the doctors. The men under his command who were still relatively okay were helping to clear the debris of the building, attempting to salvage whatever they could from what was left and arresting any still-living pirates they could find.

As for anyone too injured to do that kind of work but still strong enough to do something, he had them start setting up a miniature 'base' of sorts.

It wasn't a base, really. More like a tavern. The owner had closed the tavern a while back, but had been generous enough to let the Marines use the place as a makeshift base of operations while they worked on reconstructing the Marine base.

"Captain Tristan, sir," someone spoke up. The Captain turned, spotting the Lieutenant approaching. "A Marine Battleship has just docked in the bay".

Tristan groaned again. As if his failure to the people of the island wasn't enough, he'd also failed to his _superiors_. Worse still, this one was a _Vice Admiral._

Normally, a Vice Admiral would be serving in the Grand Line – not far out in West Blue. But following the Battle of Marineford, some of the Vice Admirals were sent out to the four blues in anticipation of the chaos that would follow Whitebeard's death.

And of course, sent out to watch over West Blue was none other than Vice Admiral Nitika.

The Vice Admirals in generals spawned a lot of rumors out across the seas – mainly due to their accomplishments, and partly to do with the rumors that often spread amongst subordinates regarding their bosses. Vice Admiral Nitika had a reputation for being a no-nonsense woman – a Marine devoted to the cause who did not put up with slackers. No doubt, Tristan thought to himself, even less likely to tolerate failure.

"Well," he began with a sigh, walking slowly across the cobblestone path. "Let's get this over with. What's the worst she can do to us?"

The Lieutenant nodded and followed after the Captain. The two walked down the partially destroyed main street, watching their step as occasionally a stone would show itself to have been loosened by the blasts. The people of Orsus Island watched and spoke amongst one another of the things they had seen and the things that had happened. Some looked with disapproval. Tristan didn't blame them, for once.

The Captain and Lieutenant began to slow down as a clacking noise began to resonate. Looking further down the street they could see the very people come to see them.

"Gentlemen," a woman spoke, giving the palm-inward salute.

"Vice Admiral Nitika," the Captain and Lieutenant responded in unison, returning the salute.

Dropping the salute, the Vice Admiral looked between the two of them. The dark-skinned woman had a slightly hooked nose and silky, dark hair that was pulled back in a long braid that fell as far as her knees. Draped across her shoulders was the Marines' Justice Coat, worn over a black suit with a talwar sword hanging at her left hip. In spite of a rather obvious injury – her right arm being held in a cast and sling - she walked with conviction; a self-assuredness that only came from people who always knew exactly what they were doing and what they were going to do.

To her right was another Marine wearing the Justice Coat, but one who held a much more… Rugged appearance. A muscular, dark-skinned man with a similarly hooked nose and black, unkempt hair, his state of dress was slightly more disheveled – the standard Marine t-shirt worn untucked with baggy, blue trousers and no shoes. On both hips he carried a pair of talwar swords much like the Vice Admiral, although the flask of booze he was currently drinking from made his carrying of the swords a little more intimidating. Nevertheless, they both recognized him as the Vice Admiral's older brother, Rear Admiral Pravin.

To Nitika's left, meanwhile, were two others – one was a large, muscular Marine who also wore the Justice Coat, but otherwise wore no shirt, with white tape wrapped around his forearms and hands, blue, form-fitting trousers and white, knee-high boots. But most importantly, the huge, muscular man with dark hair wore a white mask with the Marine's emblem in blue across the forehead. This was Captain "Justice Mask" Alejandro Guerrero.

Lastly, shuffling along by the muscular man's side was a short, brown-haired and pale-faced young man with a rather mousey look to him. He carried a rifle on his back and a pair of pistols in holsters at his hip. His lack of a coat, along with his adherence to the common Marine t-whirt and cap with blue trousers indicated that his rank was not quite as high. Neither Captain Tristan nor the Lieutenant recognized him.

"Neither of you have to say anything," the Vice Admiral spoke sternly. "But if either of you have an explanation, I'm willing to hear it".

The Captain knew this would come. He felt himself shrinking under his gaze, feeling much like an ant before a dragon. A chill ran down his spine, and a glance sideways told him that even his normally stoic and composed Lieutenant felt the same. Tristan looked back to the Vice Admiral, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"We… No, _I_ failed, ma'am," the Captain spoke, lowering his head. "I take full responsibility for the incident. As a Captain of the Marines, I should have been able to handle the situation, but instead, many innocent lives were put in danger by my inability to-".

"That is enough," she spoke, raising a hand to stop him from speaking further. Captain Tristan looked up, staring into the cool, sharp eyes of the Vice Admiral. "While I appreciate your dedication, the truth is that the Marine forces on this island simply aren't good enough as a whole".

_Ouch_. Tristan felt like he'd just been hit by an arrow through the chest. He had to force himself not to hang his head in shame.

"Um, Vice Admiral Nitika…" the young, mousey gunman spoke. "Maybe… I mean, it's not like they intended-"

"It doesn' matter if they intended anything or not, Ensign Freischutz," the Rear Admiral spoke up, capping his flask and shoving it back in his pocket. "What matters is they failed".

"Enough, Pravin," the Vice Admiral snapped, casting her gaze to her older brother. The two shared a moment of silence as they stared down one another before the Vice Admiral looked back. "We are not here to criticize or punish. For the foreseeable future, myself and my crew will oversee the reconstruction and training of the Marines serving on this island. Captain Tristan, if you could lead the way".

The Captain nodded, feeling a weight off of his shoulders. He'd expected demotion, or worse, but instead it seemed everything was working out for the better. Of course, he understood that he'd have to watch himself under the Vice Admiral's presence, but it was nothing-

"Captain, look out!"

The Captain and Lieutenant both turned, eyes widening at what they saw. Running through the streets was the bloody and bruised body of one of the Pirates who'd attacked last night. He was lean, tall and skinny and wore metallic gauntlets on each arm. His eyes were menacing, staring daggers as he ran.

"Out of my way!" he roared, shoving aside anyone who didn't step out of his way quickly enough. Tristan was ready to move, but winced as he felt a pain through his side. The man – Onigawara, they recognized – was getting closer.

"So there's one left… Figures…" the Rear Admiral spoke as he stepped forwards, stumbling a bit. The disheveled man sighed as he looked towards the oncoming man with the gauntlets, his hands reaching for one of the two talwar swords by his sides. Slowly he began to draw, but the pirate rushing towards him laughed.

"Just try it!" he yelled, sure of himself. "So long as you're not that beast, you're nothing to me!"

"**Tyr's Hand**," he spoke, having drawn the blade with his right hand. He held the blade up with the one hand, taking a single step forwards as his opponent closed in.

"Die!" Onigawara roared, his fist shooting straight for Pravin's face. When it was but an inch from hitting, Pravin moved.

"**Leavings of the Wolf!**" the drunkard finished. In an instant, Pravin had slashed through Onigawara, a huge gash opening up along his arm and body as his steel gauntlet broke apart. The Pirate cried out in pain as he hit the ground behind the Rear Admiral, who now flicked his blade to the side to rid it of blood. The man sighed, resting the flat of his own blade across his shoulder. Captain Tristan and his Lieutenant both stood still, astonished by what they had seen – or rather, what they hadn't seen. Pravin's attack was so fast, so instantaneous, they had only just managed to catch the flash of his blade as light reflected off of it. The Rear Admiral looked back to them.

"First thing's first," he spoke, eying the two. "We're gonna have to do a bit of clean up".

* * *

"Land ahead!" Madoka cried out, grinning from ear to ear as she pointed out over the railing. Alyona looked over, smiling at the sight of land. Just ahead of the ship was a large island that possessed a dome-like shape, with large, cave-like openings in the sides that gave the structure a shape reminiscent of an empty turtle shell. Within these huge cavities sat large port towns where all sorts of Jolly Rogers flew in the breeze.

"This is the Island of Pirates, Tortue," Sakura remarked aloud as she steered the ship. "In West Blue, you won't find a bigger haven for piracy than here".

"Finally, I can get some clothes! And food that isn't just fish or meat!" Alyona cheered, glad to know she wasn't stuck wearing leftover clothes from the old crew.

The Tiger Shark Fishman looked over, opening an eye and gazing at the island. It seemed to only hold his curiosity for about a minute, however, as he soon shut his eye and hung his head again, choosing to slumber instead.

"So we've finally arrived, huh?" a voice called door to the inside of the ship swung open as Baldric walked out. He looked up to the island ahead of them, grinning wide. "Tortue... Been a while since I came here last".

The group looked towards the turtle shell-shaped island in anticipation. A new adventure was about to begin.

* * *

**Author: So, this ought to wrap up any final plot threads from the last chapter! Also, we get to see some new Marine characters! I have to say, I've spent a lot of time agonizing over how to characterize the Vice Admiral and Rear Admiral, but I'm quite happy for how it turned out. Also, for those curious - Pravin is indeed using the Odin-Style Swordsmanship that Devon uses in Kilnorc's Crew of the Axe fics! Be sure to keep that in mind - I intend to touch upon it much later...**

**I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Be sure to let me know what you think!**


	9. Adventure on the Island of Pirates

There was a loud splash as the anchor hit the water, dropping down to the bottom of the bay. The pirate ship sat in the docks of the largest town of Tortue.

The dark-haired Captain smiled to himself as he looked upon the large town. Tortue, of course, was a Pirate's Haven – every town was inhabited by Pirates, or indeed those who catered to Pirates, whether out of a relationship to pirates or out of a desire to make money in a 'no questions asked' kind of way.

As such, he could already spot a couple of places to drink just on the main street leading into the town. Likewise, many other pirate ships sat docked in the bay – all with their own Jolly Rogers. If there was any place in West Blue where they could avoid the Marines, it was the island of Tortue.

Baldric smirked and turned around, looking towards his crew. As always, Kai sat by his lonesome by one of the railings, refusing to speak or acknowledge anyone. Baldric didn't have to worry too much – so long as Kai still needed him, he wasn't going anywhere. Sakura was finally taking a rest inside while her granddaughter, Madoka, was staring at the town with a look of fascination while Alyona watched with her.

Taking a step back, Baldric folded his arms and sat himself down upon the railing of the ship, his eyes focused on his crew. Raising a hand, he snapped his fingers to get their attention.

"Alright," he spoke, watching as Alyona and Madoka immediately took interest. Kai merely opened an eye and glanced towards him. "Now that we're here on Tortue, we've got some things to do. I've got my own business, but if we're going to continue sailing this sea, we need supplies".

"I guess I'm getting the food then," Alyona remarked aloud, placing her hands on her hips. "Mind if I get some clothes as well? These aren't exactly a good fit..."

"Oh, I wanna go too!" Madoka chirped up. "I mean-".

"I'm not risking your grandmother coming after me with her sword," Baldric denied her request. "Even if you went with Alyona".

"But I wanna go!" Madoka remarked, frowning. "I'm not an idiot, you know".

"But you _are_ a brat," the Captain responded flatly, with a resolute tone that made it clear his decision was not up for debate.

"Madoka," Alyona spoke up, resting a hand on the girl's shoulder. "If you want, I can bring you back some nice clothes. Would that be nice?"

Madoka sighed, nodding. Alyona looked back to Baldric, who was already turning around and climbing up onto the railing of the ship. Turning his head to glance back, he spoke.

"Just an FYI, don't waste too much time. We might not have to worry about Marines, but we _are _surrounded by Pirates," he told Alyona right before jumping down onto the wooden docks. Nodding in understanding, Alyona opted to walk down the gangplank onto the docks rather than jump, leaving the vessel.

Watching from the ship, Madoka saw the both of them walk down the main street before splitting off into different directions. She sighed before looking back to Kai. She was glad she'd gotten her grandmother to lie down and rest after all she had done, but now she was _bored_. And unfortunately, the Fishman didn't seem to be the type to want conversation. It didn't stop her from trying, though.

"So... Um, your name is Kai, right?" she asked, a brow raised. The Fishman said nothing, merely grunting in response. Madoka took it to be a yes. "Have you... I mean, are you from the Grand Line, like obaa-san?"

The Fishman grunted again. Madoka sighed, turning away. It seemed unlikely he was going to even give her a word, let alone a sentence in response. But as she looked out across the docks, the young girl began to notice something. She looked between the Jolly Rogers that flew from the ships' masts and the emblems painted on their sails. Every ship had its own Jolly Roger, yet every ship seemed to display the same skull-and-crossbones on the main sails.

The symbol was a large skull with a sort of metal plate in its head. Behind the skull was a typical crossbones, but to the left and right of the skull were blue lightning bolts that were mirrored images of each other. No matter where she looked, every single ship in the dock bore the same image. The only exception, of course, was the ship of the Knightfall Pirates. Madoka could only wonder – to whom did the skull and crossbones belong?

* * *

The young Pirate Captain walked through the city with the confidence of someone who knew exactly what they were doing. He didn't need to look around or ask directions – he already knew the town like the back of his hand. After all, this wasn't his first time conducting business on Tortue.

Wherever Baldric went, he could see all manner of thugs and Pirates who were either at each other's throats or staring him down. A few familiar faces here and there, but none that he considered important as he continued to walk.

He turned down around a corner, stepping across the cobblestones and down a back street that somehow looked more unruly than the rest of this Pirate's Haven. Perhaps not coincidentally, the street also smelled much more strongly of booze and vomit. He made sure not to breathe through his nose as he continued to walk.

Baldric's pace began to slow as his head turned, spotting a figure on his left. He cast a smile as he raised a hand in a small wave, watching the older man.

Said older man stood outside a bar, his body clad in a black suit with a black tie and a black fedora that sat upon his head. His hands rested atop the hilt of a katana, which he kept in front of himself like a cane. His face was angular and he possessed a head of greying hair with a similarly grey, bushy mustache.

The man seemed to recognize Baldric immediately, taking off his hat as he gave a curt nod of the head while Baldric approached.

"Julius," Baldric remarked, smirking as he walked towards the older man. "Didn't think you'd come all the way out here yourself..."

"We have much business to discuss, Baldric," the older man replied as he placed his hat back on his head. "But before we discuss matters of the Maestri Family, perhaps we should get a drink. It has been a while since I've gotten to speak with you like this".

"No wonder people regard you as the face of the Maestri Family," Baldric spoke, chuckling. "You're the only one I've met with good manners".

Julius gave a wry, knowing smile as he took one hand away from the sword he held and gestured to the bar behind him. Nodding, the young Captain walked inside, followed close behind by the old man. The door shut behind them.

From across the streets two surly men watched, their faces set in deep frowns as they looked upon the bar. One of the men, a bald, tattooed man, shifted a little as he pulled a cigarette pack from his pocket and slipped a cigarette into his mouth.

"He's been here a couple of times before," the tattooed man spoke as he pulled out a lighter. "The kid with the scar. Baldric".

"Every time he comes, its always someone of the Maestri Family. Aren't they situated in the Grand Line?" the other man queried, folding his arms. "Kid's gotta have big connections".

"Yeah. Not every day you see Julius Maestri outside of the Grand Line," the bald man spoke, taking a few moments to inhale. Removing the cigarette from his mouth he breathed out smoke. "Better tell Eisenkraft".

The other man smirked, chuckling darkly to himself as he continued looking at the bar across the street.

"Sorted"

* * *

Alyona walked through the streets of Tortue by herself, with rather less certainty in where she was going. It hadn't taken the young woman too long to find a grocery store, which meant that at least the food shopping was done. However, she had much less of an idea where to find clothing.

She'd been lucky so far – at the very least, she hadn't run into trouble. But at the same time, it didn't make her feel too comfortable. Everywhere she went, she felt like she was being watched – and not just by a single person. She noticed all sorts of people watching her, though she tried not to make it obvious that she noticed. Far too many sets of eyes were resting upon her, and it was attention that Alyona certainly did not need.

So she attempted to ignore it – to push it to the back of her mind. So long as she told herself that it was nothing, all of those staring eyes – watching her, judging her – they wouldn't matter. Of course, this in itself presented a problem. If she couldn't exactly trust anyone here, it also meant she couldn't exactly ask for directions to the nearest clothing store.

For a short while as she walked, she ran into no problems. Although she still found herself almost going in circles trying to find a store, nothing impeded her. But then she began to hear footsteps – in itself, not an odd thing to hear in a street during the daytime. But these footsteps were following her – several people, in fact. Alyona focused forwards, not stopping for a moment as she hoped whoever it was would just leave.

Understandably, she almost jumped when a hand placed itself on her shoulder. Alyona turned her head, spotting two men who positioned themselves around her. One was large and fat with a shaved head – he was the one with his hand on her shoulder. The other had brown hair pulled back in a ponytail with a goatee and possessed a much leaner figure.

"Lost, girlie?" the bald man spoke, a brow raised. Alyona frowned a little, shaking her head.

"No," she told them. "I'm fine".

"'S alright, madamoiselle," the lean man butted in. "Nothin' ta be ashamed of. Must be new here".

"I'm fine," Alyona insisted, pushing the large man's hand off of her shoulder. "I can find my way myself".

"Maybe," the lean man remarked. "But it jus' wouldn' be righ' for us two gentlemen to leave a pretty lady like yerself to walk around such a dangerous neighborhood...".

"I can-" Alyona started before the fat man cut her off.

"Oh, I know," the fat man spoke. "I bet yer jus' nervous, 'cause ya think we want some cash fer the job, righ'?"

"We'll help ya outta the goodness of our 'earts, 'onest!" the lean man interjected. Alyona attempted to step back, but the fat man put a hand on her shoulder again, gripping tightly.

"'S okay, girlie," the fat man spoke, grinning. "If ya don't wanna pay with money... Well, you've got a lot more meat on yer bones than most girls, but we don' mind, do we?".

Alyona could hear the both of them snickering. The brown haired woman tensed, her fists clenching tightly. She felt like she had a noose around her neck, but she fought against the feeling. She didn't have to stand here and take this. She-

-Watched as the first gunshot knocked the lean man off his feet. Alyona could only gape in astonishment. The fat man suddenly released her, turning around as his face twisted in anger. But the moment he had done so another gunshot went off, causing the fat man to stumble back.

Alyona stepped out of the way as another gunshot hit the man, causing him to stumble and fall onto his back. The back of his head hit harshly against the cobblestones as he fell, knocking him unconscious. The large woman stared as both men now lay on the ground, knocked out cold by the gunshots. But caution overtook her soon as she turned, holding her arms up defensively as she was just about ready to move.

Only, the shooter wasn't shooting any more.

Alyona stared at the young man standing a couple of feet away. He was clad in a pair of dark trousers and a white dress shirt with black suspenders, over which he wore a black suit jacket that was buttoned closed and a black tie. He was a handsome young man, lacking any scarring or blemishes – unlike the majority of people on this island. His hair was a dark brown and combed neatly, whilst rectangular-framed glasses sat on his face in front of his blue eyes. Upon his head rested a black bowler hat.

On his left and right hip were holsters, and in his right hand he currently held one of his two pistols – a six-shot revolver. He smiled gently, as if to tell Alyona not to worry as he lowered his pistol and began to re-holster it.

"My apologies, miss," he remarked cooly. "Rather unfortunate, really. Some men simply don't understand what 'no' means. Or perhaps they simply choose not to care...".

Alyona stared, unsure of what to make of this man. He carried himself in the manner of a proper gentleman, yet it was obvious there was a bit more to him than simple that. She looked back down at the two men he had shot down, raising a brow as she began to notice that neither of them seemed to be bleeding.

"Rubber bullets," the man explained, apparently figuring out what Alyona was thinking. The large woman looked back up at him, curious.

"You... Who are you?" she asked.

"Ordinarily, one offers their own name first..." the young man spoke, giving a polite nod as he tilted his hat towards Alyona. "You may call me Marcus, however. Might I know yours?".

"Oh," Alyona spoke, giving a nod of her head as well. "Alyona. You didn't have to step in, but... Well, thanks, Marcus".

"A pleasure," the young man spoke, smiling wide. "Do you require any further assistance?"

"Well," Alyona started, a little hesitant. "I was hoping to find a clothing store".

"Not a problem," Marcus responded with a smile, gesturing down the road with his hand. "Simply follow me".

* * *

**Author: Well, now we get to kick things off with the Tortue Arc and the introduction of two new characters - Julius Maestri and Marcus. Hope you liked this chapter!**


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